The Story of Us
by Blaire Nightshade
Summary: Molly Hooper was human, she made mistakes...but Sherlock Holmes was not one of them. 18 year old Molly meets 20 year old Sherlock her first week at University. What starts as an unlikely friendship evolves into something that neither of them can nor want to contain...But what was that saying? The higher you climb, the harder you fall? M for later chapters.
1. The Freshman

**Hi everyone. Thank you for giving me a moment of your valuable time to check out my story. It would make me extremely happy if you would take a moment to review after your finished...love it? Hate it? Just let me know. **

**I actually wrote the sequel to this story before this one, but i figured it would make more sense with a back story...so if this story is a success I hope to get the sequel out soon!**

**Fair warning, I'm American so if I have any British lingo jumbled...i apologize in advance.**

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter 1: The Freshman

Molly

It was supposed to be an ordinary day for 18 year old Molly Hooper…but as it turned out, fate had other plans.

She was coming back from her _Intro to Chemistry_ night class, and the Professor was taking no prisoners on the newcomers. _Intro to Chemistry_ was her third class for the day and thankfully her last. This first week of school had absolutely drained her.

She thought she would be well prepared for the next level of her education, having graduated in the top of her class. But no amount of prepping could have prepared her for the real thing.

It was the end of the first week and she was already up to her elbows in homework. She had a five page paper to write, over 60 pages of text books to read, and an exam…all to be finished or prepared for by Monday.

She thanked her lucky stars that it was Friday, and that she could spare herself a few hours of rest before cracking down on her books.

She was going to head back to her dorm room, kick off her converse, flop down on the bed, and watch a couple episodes of Doctor Who.

Molly adjusted the strap of her backpack as she climbed the stairs to her room on the third floor. She turned the corner to her room and sincerely prayed her roommate Bianca was off someplace else.

It was just the first week of school, and her roommate had already had four different boys over. She made it very clear on the first day why she was even at University.

But of course, Molly could never get that lucky. And even though in the back of her head she should have expected it…Molly still dropped the textbooks in her hand when she opened the door to her dorm and saw the sight before her.

Her beautiful blonde roommate Bianca Summers was on her bed in only a pair of black lacy underwear and a matching bra. Above her an older boy (maybe a junior, possibly senior), was nuzzling her neck while his hands roamed over her thin tanned body.

She was moaning as she ran her hands down the guy's bare chest, "Oh Sherly! Oh God Sherly!"

Bianca suddenly became aware of her roommates presence and turned to face Molly.

"Oh hey Molls!" She said cheerfully as if this was perfectly normal and acceptable for her. "I left the hair tie on the door handle."

Molly just blinked in astonishment at Bianca's lack of modesty.

"Oh- well right, I must have missed it…silly me, I'm sorry. I'll just- I'm just gonna go now." Molly stuttered as she fumbled to pick up her books and backed up through the doorway. She forgot about Bianca's hair tie system. If the hot pink hair tie was wrapped around the doorknob…**it meant do not disturb.**

The boy finally left Bianca's neck to crane his head towards the new girl in the room. He still had his jeans on, but his purple shirt had been unbuttoned (or ripped open she corrected seeing the buttons had been scattered on the floor) and was hanging off his shoulders. He was as pale as a ghost, but it accented his features in a way that suited him. It made his memorizing blue/green eyes pop, she thought as she stared into them.

His curly dark brown hair was heavily disheveled, most likely from having Bianca's fingers running through them (lucky bitch). It stuck up in every possible direction, but that somehow only made him more attractive.

To sum it all up, this guy was the embodiment of gorgeous.

He seemed to look Molly up and down as he gave a half-cocked smirk. If it had been any other guy, she would've been grossed out, but nope. Adonis over there seemed to suck the rationale right out of her.

"Well- uh have fun!" she inwardly scolded herself for saying such a dumb thing. She turned on her heel and took a step before seeing where she was going. She ran right into her desk and knocked over a pencil holder sending them scattering on the floor. "I'm just- I'm just gonna leave that there."

Without wasting any more time she practically sprinted from the room, and ended up slamming the door a little too hard so that the white board hanging from it fell to the ground.

Molly huffed and left the thing where it was as she exited her residential hall. Figures that on her first Friday, she wouldn't have even been able to walk into her own room.

She just wanted to relax, but nope…that was a little too much to ask apparently. She sighed as she walked back outside and across campus to the library.

Molly figured she would make the best of a bad situation and attempt to get at least some of her studying done. As she walked into the library, she found that all the tables were taken by at least one other person. It wasn't like Molly Hooper was shy or had trouble making friends, it was just that when she wanted to get stuff done she preferred being by herself.

Sighing she scanned the room and managed to pick up a familiar face; a girl with shoulder length black hair and glasses that was in two of her classes. The girl was at a table by herself and had a calculus book flipped open and was glancing between the textbook and her notebook as she wrote down answers to the math problems.

Molly walked over and cleared her throat to get the girls attention.

The girls head snapped up as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Hi, um do you mind if I sit here with you?" Molly asked as she motioned to the seat opposite of her.

The girl quickly stood up and pushed her books out of the way to make room for Molly, "Yeah…go ahead."

"Thank you," Molly said as she shucked her backpack off her shoulders. "Aren't you in Professor Crane's Chemistry class?"

The girl nodded, "Yeah, unfortunately. Although I'm beginning to regret taking the class, at least this semester. Are you in his class too or something?"

Molly nodded as she pulled said professors assigned textbook out of her backpack and plopped it onto the table. "Can't believe we already have an exam. I mean it's only been one week."

"I've heard that's what Professors do to the freshman though, they overload them with work the first three weeks so that they can adapt to the work style."

"Huh, never thought about it that way."

The girl shrugged, "I'm Nina by the way."

Molly smiled and gave a small wave, "Molly Hooper…you sound like you're a long way from home."

"Yeah, I'm from New York." Nina said in her American accent. "I wanted to get away from home…and this is where I ended up."

Molly laughed quietly as she snapped her text book open to read the first chapter.

After finishing up the studying an hour later, Molly and Nina both left the library completely drained and exhausted.

Molly had gone on to explain how she was stalling going back to her dorm room after the incident that had occurred earlier.

Nina laughed then looked over at Molly, "my roommate actually dropped out after two days…so I have an open bed if you need."

"Really? You would do that?"

Nina nodded, "Absolutely."

Molly smiled as she walked off into the night with her new friend.

The day hadn't been too bad after all. And the night was still young.

Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes groaned as he looked at himself in the mirror. He was trying to button up his shirt but had noticed that four of the buttons had been unceremoniously ripped out by the blonde girl he had just shagged.

She was sighing blissfully as she lay on her bed, with the white sheets pulled up over her chest. She had one hand splayed across her forward and the other resting on her stomach.

"That was nice." She giggled obnoxiously.

Sherlock rolled his eyes as he gave up on the shirt and opted to just do a walk of shame across campus. It wasn't as if he cared what people thought about him, he honestly couldn't have cared less than he already did. It was just awfully inconvenient for one of his nicer items of clothing to be destroyed from intercourse.

"If you ever feel like hitting me up," The blonde smiled as she sat up on her bed, "you know where to find me."

Sherlock groaned before turning to her. "After your high school boyfriend of three years cheated on you over the summer, you've been determined to deliver vengeance by sleeping with more people than him. An effortless conquest if you ask me, considering that he is marrying the girl he left you for. You are an emotionally compromised woman who has abandonment issues and latches onto anything that has a cock."

He turned to face her one last time with his hand resting on the doorknob. She looked at him as if she were about to burst into tears.

"So needless to say, I will not be contacting you again…Good day." He smiled politely before closing the door behind him.

For some reason, as he walked, his mind kept going back to the shy roommate who had burst in on him and the blonde. What was her name? Margaret? Miriam?

In the five seconds he had seen her, he had been able to deduce that she was originally from Dublin, raised by a single parent for the past five years, had a sister named Olivia, struggling financially, and had an adept interest in pathology.

Regardless, Sherlock was looking forward to meeting her again…very soon.

…his Freshman.

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**Well there you have it...chapter 1. **

**I kind of wrote this spur of the moment, so all mistakes are mine...I would love it if you could take**** time to leave a review. It always keeps my spirits up.**

**~B. Nightshade**

_**Deleted Scene:**_

_**Bianca: 'Sherly you can't be serious?!"**_

_**Sherlock: 'I am serious...and don't call me Sherly."**_

_**(Airplane shout out!)**_


	2. I Get Knocked Down

**Hello everyone! I want to thank every person who took the time to read, review, favorite, and subscribe to the story last chapter. I wasn't expecting to get as big of a reaction as I did. Keep it up!**

**Also, I had someone ask if I would be incorporating 'sexytimes'. Now, I love Sherlolly smut as much as any other fan girl...but that does not mean i have any experience writing them...i'm a (they fall on the bed, scene fades out) type of writer, but i'm not completely ruling it out. It's a ways down the line before Sherlock x Molly make sparks fly...i want to have a sturdy foundation before having them go at it like rabbits. So all i can say is that i'll consider it. Til further notice...rating stays the same.**

**I sadly don't own Sherlock or Benedict Cumberbatch :(**

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Chapter 2: I Get Knocked Down

"It's not fair, why do all the good lookin' guys come from England?" Nina complained to Molly as they returned to their room in the very early hours of the morning.

The two of them as well as a few other friends had gone out to see the premiere of _The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring_…and Nina was instantly smitten by Orlando Bloom and his pointy eared elfish archer alter-ego.

Molly had ultimately moved in with her new best friend a month ago, when she walked in on her former roommate Bianca shagging some random guy for the tenth time

What had been the nail in the coffin was that they were using Molly's bed. Molly had a rather colorful rant as she packed up her bags with her few belongings and marched out determined to move in with Nina.

She had to actually throw her pencils at the two of them when they refused to get a move on. Bianca had wrapped the bed sheet around her and didn't look to be giving it up, but Molly would have none of that.

Bianca had chosen that point in time to get a sense of modesty which frustrated Molly. She had seen anatomy books before, she wouldn't be looking at anything she hadn't seen before; she wanted to be a Pathologist for Christ's sake!

"Molly, Calm down!" Bianca cried out as she dodged a mechanical pencil.

"Do not tell me…to…calm…down!" She annunciated as she threw her last pencil. "I feel like a guest in my own bloody room! Can't even sleep through the night, because you can't keep your legs closed for five bloody minutes!"

Bianca turned bright red as Molly ripped the sheet from her grasp and marched out of her former dorm room.

She ended up tossing the sheets into the nearby dumpster outside, she was never going to clean them…she just wanted the satisfaction of embarrassing her chaotic roommate.

Molly reveled in her sudden growth of a backbone. The whole year in itself was beginning to turn itself around. Molly was beginning to learn how to sufficiently balance her classes without having to over exert herself. She had a nice circle of friends that she was constantly hanging out with whenever she wasn't too busy studying.

Life was good.

When they waltzed back into their room, Molly noticed the bright red lights from her bedside clock that read 3:45 AM.

She sighed as she faced a dilemma. She had her first class at 8:00 AM…that meant she had to be up in four hours. Should she try to rest and get a couple hours of sleep, or should she just pull an all-nighter?

Molly settled on the latter, figuring she'd have time to sleep when she was dead.

Nina was lucky and didn't have anything going on that day other than work in the afternoon and then the 6:30 night class that they shared…so she decided to stay up with Molly to keep her company.

Nina immediately went on rambling about the movie and how she suddenly wanted to real the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy.

The words were out of Molly's mouth before she realized she'd said it, "yeah my sister loved them."

"You have a sister?" Nina asked surprised. She had been friends with Molly for over a month and this was the first she was hearing about a sister.

"Had," Molly corrected as the mood in the room immediately dropped, "had a sister…her name was Olivia. She's uh-she died."

Nina's eyes widened in shock, she suddenly felt like an idiot for bringing it up…it must have been a touchy subject if this was the first it was being brought up.

"Oh God- I'm so sorry Molls," Nina said as she ran a hand through her black hair.

"It's okay…you didn't know. It's just a touchy subject for me," Molly said as she recalled how her sister's untimely death had ultimately broke the Hooper family apart.

Molly felt tears forming in her eyes and immediately pushed them away…she would not lose it, not like this.

She took a deep breath and regained composure. She took the opportunity to change the subject, and she and Nina went on talking like the whole exchange about Olivia Hooper had never happened.

* * *

Her first couple of classes had not been too bad. She took advantage of a coffee maker and got hyped on caffeine to get her through the morning.

By the time her day classes came to an end, Molly figured she had a couple hours to nap before going to her Chemistry night class. Nina had a shift at the library and was going to meet Molly in the class room.

Deciding on a nap had been the first mistake.

Molly's second mistake had been missing the alarm she had set, and waking up only to realize she had 10 minutes before her class. The class she could not afford to miss. So in record time she threw her hair into a messy bun, pulled a baggy hoody on over her tank top, slipped her shoes back on and ran out of her dorm with her backpack in tow.

Molly's third and final mistake had been trying to fish something out of her backpack at the edge of the hallway when classes were about to be let out.

Because one minute, Molly was reaching through to the bottom of her bag to grab a pen…and the next she was getting a face full of wooden door and being forcefully thrown to the ground.

Molly 'oofed' as she landed on the hard floor. Her senses seemed to go into overdrive; she heard her books clutter loudly to the ground around her, she felt blood dripping down the side of her face, and saw a blurry figure standing over her.

She sat up as she wiped at the cut on her forehead. She felt a headache coming on as she squinted at the figure that was slowly coming into focus.

Curly hair, high cheekbones, ghostly pale skin…oh great, just who she needed to see right now. They really needed to stop meeting under awkward circumstances.

"I do believe we need to stop running into each other like this," The man said in a deep baritone voice, appearing to have read her mind. He knelt down and grabbed her two runaway textbooks.

"Thank you," Molly muttered under her breath as she took them from him and turned to put them back in her backpack.

When she came back around to face him, his face was mere inches from hers as he studied her face with his piercing gaze.

She saw his hand ruffle through his pockets before slowly come forward and realized he was pressing a small handkerchief against her forehead; she winced as a small shock of pain went through her.

Molly replaced his fingers with her own and went to get up off the ground. She was surprised when his long fingers snaked around her upper arm and helped hoist her up.

Still winded from her fall, she swayed slightly and stepped into him, her head landing on his chest. His second hand came from out of his pocket to her other arm and he helped her regain her lost balance.

"I'm okay," Molly reassured him as she stopped swaying and awkwardly backed a step away from him. "Thank you…aww shit!"

Molly cursed as she looked down at her watch and noticed class started five minutes ago. She hoped she could still get in. She made a break to run down the hallway when fingers once again clasped themselves around her arm.

"Miss Hooper, you have just sustained a head injury. In my humble opinion, you are in no shape to sit through a class and learn about noble gases."

Molly was taken aback, and the face she made must have said it. Because he smirked, making her once again blush.

"The tag on the inside of your bag has the name Hooper. I've never heard of a female being given the name Hooper, so it must be a surname. I had this particular book last year, and as I recall the chapter you've bookmarked is subjected on Noble gases and the properties they possess. And as for your apparent tardiness, Professor Harold Crane's is not completely incompetent, he will understand if one of his star pupils misses her first class to visit the nurse's office."

"Who are you? How do you know all that?" Molly asked in surprise.

"I have a proposition…allow me to escort you to the nurse's wing, and I will tell you everything you want to know."

Molly sighed in defeat as she carefully swung her backpack over her shoulders and followed closely on the heels of her mystery man as he led them out of the building.

As soon as they were outside Molly had to pick up her pace to keep up with him.

Molly opened her mouth to ask her first question, "What's-"

"Sherlock Holmes," he answered before she even asked his name.

She gave a flustered face before shaking her head to ask her next question, "How-"

"It's called deduction; I pick up on various details of my surroundings and then piece them together. Hence your name, your book, so on and so forth…next question."

"Do you really want to hear my questions or do you just like to hear yourself talk?" Molly asked slightly teasing him.

Sherlock stopped dead on the spot and turned his head to her giving her a peculiar look.

Molly crossed her arms and bit her lip to hold back a smile.

"No need to get cheeky," he lightly snapped before he kept walking.

"So sorry," Molly apologized as she burrowed her hands in the pocket of her hoodie. After walking in silence for a few minutes Molly asked the first thing that popped into her head, regretting it immediately, "How's Bianca?"

A wave of confusion overtook Sherlock's face as he looked at her, "who?"

"My old roommate…the one I walked in on you, uh…" Molly explained awkwardly as she began making bizarre hand gestures to him.

"Ah," Sherlock said in remembrance, "the bottle blonde bimbo…no idea, never saw her again after that night."

Molly coughed uncomfortably as Sherlock rambled on. He definitely was an eccentric character, one who had no regards for proper behavior. A disregard for societal norms, he did what he wanted when he wanted. And she respected him for that.

He was two years her senior, but was only a semester ahead of her. Apparently, his elder brother was forcing him to complete his education and obtain a degree in something. His mother was also urging him to finish his studies.

He found schooling incredibly dull, and would not be here if he had it his way.

Molly avoided talking to him about her family.

"A story for another time perhaps," She answered him when he went asking his own set of questions.

Sherlock had correctly deduced that she was at one end of a broken family…but he was beginning to suspect that the situation was far grimmer than he had originally thought when he saw her last month.

He turned the corner to the campus building where the nurse was located.

"Well Miss Hooper, I believe we have arrived..." Sherlock smirked as he stood on the pavement to the nurse's office. "I would also advise you to watch where you are stepping in the future to prevent further school related injuries."

"I'll keep that in mind Mr. Holmes," Molly smiled at him before walking up the steps to the front door. As she stood with the door ajar she turned back to him, "thank you, for everything."

Sherlock nodded slightly as he planted his hands in his coat pockets. This girl intrigued him, she challenged him…he liked a good challenge, "Oh it was my pleasure Molly Hooper. I look forward to seeing you again…real soon."

And just like that he turned on his heel and walked back down the road they originally came from disappearing with a passing crowd.

* * *

"Where were you?" Nina asked when she walked in to see Molly lying on her bed with her hand to her forehead.

Molly sat up giving Nina the view of the giant Band-Aid covering her temple and part of her forehead. The patch of skin underneath was already turning a greenish-purple color that Molly did not find flattering.

"I had a brawl with a door…" Molly winced as she took the bag of ice on her nightstand and put it against her temple. "...door won."

Nina just stared at Molly before she started cracking up.

Molly gave an incredulous look to her roommate who was keeled over holding her stomach.

"I'm sorry," Nina apologized as she wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve, "It's just…that's the funniest thing I've ever heard."

"Glad I could humor you," Molly said sarcastically as she lied back down.

As Nina sat down at her desk and unloaded her satchel, she began talking about what Molly had missed in class.

Whatever Nina had been saying was lost on Molly though. She played around with the handkerchief Sherlock gave her to stop the bleeding on her forehead. It had the letters S.H. embroidered on the edge surrounded by a few faint drops of red blood. Her mind kept going back to her conversation with Sherlock Holmes

_I look forward to seeing you again…real soon._

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**Random fact: Fellowship of the Ring premiered in December, for the sake of story line i pretended that it premiered in October.**

**If you took five minutes to read this...could you take a minute to write a review...pretty please?**

**~B. Nightshade**


	3. Coffee?

**Hello I'm back! I would've gotten this chapter up sooner, but unfortunately a paper on _Criminal Justice Theory_ was not going to write itself. Unfortunately, sometimes school takes priority. No worries, I don't think it'll ever take me more than a week to update with a new chapter.**

**I know this chapter's kind of short, and i hope it's not to choppy. It's kind of a set-up to the next couple chapters. Needless to say. Let me know what you think!**

**Thank you all who have taken the time to read and/or review this story. I always jump for joy when i wake up to a mailbox full of messages about alerts/reviews!**

**Keep it up! :)**

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"Yes Dad, I'm fine." Molly reasoned with her dad over her mobile. She stood in front of the mirror and winced as she examined her face. It had been over a week since her run in with the door, and her bruise was just now starting to fade. "I wasn't paying attention, still a bit of a klutz."

It was still that same old ugly shade of purple and green, with a long scab in the center from where the door actually drew blood. The worst part had been when she realized it had actually left a dent in her forehead…one she prayed would go away with time.

She honestly considered cutting her hair to give herself bangs to hide the injury from strangers. She was really tired of people looking at her like someone beat her up. But the last time she had bangs was when she was in grade school, and she had absolutely hated it. So no…haircut had been ruled out.

"Yes Molls, I know you are." Aaron Hooper asked with interest in his voice. "So have you met any nice boys up there?"

Molly groaned, it seemed like this topic got brought up every time she spoke with her father. "Nope. Same as last time. And the time before that."

It was a lie of course. She had met a guy…one she had only actually spoken two twice, and seemed to only surface when he felt like it. But she could dream right?

"Well Molls, I'm just worried. I know you're focused mainly on your school work, but you need to have fun outside of the classroom."

"I do!" She raised her voice in exasperation. "I have several friends over here! Just because I don't want to go out and party every night doesn't mean I'm not having fun."

"I know darlin'." Mr. Hooper agreed.

"Besides, I just feel like it's too soon…after Brennan." Molly whispered.

Ah, Brennan McTaggert. Her 'high school sweetheart'. Her first love. She and Brennan had dated for two years up until they graduated. For a time, she really thought he was 'the one' for her. But life, as it seemed, had other plans. They split on amicable terms, but she still felt a sting in her gut every time she thought about him.

Molly instantly regretted bringing the past up, because now she had to listen to her father tell her how it was best to not dwell, and how she was young and had so much time ahead of her. She eventually got tired of her dad's lecture and lied about having to go to class.

After she hung up, Molly threw her mobile across her bed and plopped down, face first into her pillow.

* * *

The week went by slowly for Molly Hooper. So when Friday finally rolled around, she was looking forward to a nice romantic date with her blanket and her pillow. Sleep was her main priority, and she looked forward to it.

She was barely out of the classroom when a heavy force crashed into her. For the second time that week, she was knocked off her feet and sent crashing to the ground.

"For the love of God," Molly yelled as she scrambled up off the ground, "I am getting quite sick of being knocked over!"

She looked up at who ran into her and she immediately lost her train of thought. A gorgeous upperclassman was kneeling down picking his own books up, spitting out frantic apologies. His skin was a magnificent shade of bronze, with emerald green eyes, and a wide smile that would make a girl swoon.

"I am sooo, terribly sorry." He said running a hand through his platinum blonde hair nervously, "didn't even look to see where I was going."

He shrugged nervously as he looked at her with puppy dog eyes, "I'm not usually that much of a ditz."

"Eh don't worry about it," Molly laughed as she waved him off.

"Let me make it up to you, how about getting some coffee?" He asked.

Molly did a double take as if she didn't hear him right, "I- uh- like right now?"

He shrugged his shoulders before nodding, "yeah…my classes are done for the day, and it's a Friday. Don't got anywhere I need to be. Do you? Cause I know this great little café a few blocks away."

Molly tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, as she often did when she got nervous. Her mind was trying to wrap around the fact that a really attractive guy was asking her out. "I actually have to meet a friend in a few."

"Tell you what then," he pulled out a scrap piece of paper and scribbled his number down before tucking it into her palm, "you take my number, and give me a call when you're free."

Molly smiled.

"Guess it's a date then," he smiled as he turned to leave.

"Wait, I didn't catch your name…" Molly called out as he left.

"Cooper Henderson." He smiled giving her a mock salute before disappearing with the crowd.

Molly sighed as she stared down at the scribbled mobile number. Did she really want to go on a date with this guy? Sure he was sweet, and attractive. But she felt like there was something else. Maybe it was because she was infatuated with Sherlock.

Sherlock Holmes, who she had only spoken to twice, and who seemed to only pop by to speak with her when it suited him.

But then she thought back to her conversation with her dad. Maybe she should take his words to heart; maybe she did need to live a little.

* * *

Sherlock sat in the back of the classroom with his arms folded across his chest and his feet kicked up on the table. He was incredibly bored, and was twitching for a fix right now. He had no notes with him, no pencils, no books, no paper…just him and his mind.

What was the point of taking notes anyway? Anything remotely useful the professor would teach, he would just store it away in a room of his mind palace. That was highly unlikely though, considering he probably knew more than the teacher.

A fact that he had not kept to himself…he eventually lost count of how many times he had been kicked out of the classroom because he couldn't keep his mouth closed. He had no filter between his mouth and his brain, simply spitting out whatever was on his mind.

All of his professors hated him, with good reason, but no matter how hard they tried they just couldn't get Sherlock out of their class. Apparently Mr. Holmes mother was a well-respected alumnus of the school, and paid a pretty penny to keep her youngest son enrolled there.

Also, his elder brother Mycroft was an up and coming government official who had his whole future planned out.

Sherlock had friends in high places.

All of his fellow classmates had learned the hard way to not sit next to Sherlock, lest you want the whole campus knowing who and what you were doing the night before. Sherlock was, unintentionally, a walking source of the latest gossip.

So needless to say Sherlock rolled his eyes as Cooper Henderson plopped down in the seat next to him, like he owned the place. Henderson, the blonde athlete that, for some reason beyond Sherlock's own comprehension, females swooned for.

His hair was obviously unnatural. Spending as much time on it as a woman does. Sherlock wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off of Henderson's face.

He made Sherlock's stomach twist, for he had a reputation of treating ladies like pieces of meat.

Granted, Sherlock had indulged in several sexual relations with a few females over the years, but they were all aware of what they were getting into right off the bat. Cooper Henderson was known to seduce unsuspected girls, before using them up and tossing them out like garbage. He would put his girls on a pedestal making them feel special, before tearing them down.

Normally Sherlock wouldn't have bothered. If women were so easily fooled by Henderson's façade then it was their problem...most definitely not Sherlock's.

But when word reached Sherlock about the latest conquest that had caught Cooper's sight…he knew he would have to put a stop to it.

Molly Hooper was off limits.

* * *

**Jealous Sherlock is going to be fun to write! **

**Leave a review, let me know what you think! :)**


	4. Every Breath You Take

**Hello! Welcome back, I wasn't gonna post this for a couple days...but i couldn't help it. I'm currently balancing this as well as a _Star Trek_ story and it's difficult to keep up with them both, but I'm managing as best I can.**

**I realize that Sherlock and Molly both seem a little OOC. But given that this takes place 13 years before the start of the series...Let's just say things will happen to the two of them that changes them in the long run. That's all I have to say about that...no more spoilers, you can't make me say anything else!**

**As always, leave a review. I am overwhelmed by the response this story has gotten. I've heard that Sherlolly fans are some of the best out there...and i know it to be true :)**

* * *

Molly studied herself in the mirror. She and Cooper had their first date tonight. He was taking her out to dinner and then to the theatre to see _A Beautiful Mind. _

She wasn't nervous about going on the date with Cooper, more she was just nervous about the fact that it had been well over a year since she went on a proper date.

She and Brennan had simply spent most of their time ordering pizza or Chinese whilst playing a round of billiards in the basement.

As for the after events of the date, Molly wasn't too worried. She wasn't planning on anything happening. This was simply a date to get to know each other better. Molly hadn't saved herself as long as she did to throw it away on a first date.

She and Brennan had of course talked about the topic of S.E.X but they had never made it past second base. Timing was never right. And she wasn't going to disrespect her dad by doing the bump-and-grind under his roof. And for some reason, she didn't want her first time to be in the backseat of a busted up piece of junk car.

Call her a romantic, but Molly Hooper wanted candles and fireworks for her first time. She had read way too many smutty romance novels, but it was something she was striving for. That and of course, the man had to be worthy of being her first.

Molly shook off all thoughts of the past as she returned to her inspection. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She was wearing a baby blue V-neck shirt that did little to show off her barely-there cleavage. On her legs and feet was a pair of beige khakis and little black ballet flats.

She ended up tossing a white scarf with little red flowers around her neck, and adding silver hoop earrings to her ears to complete her look.

Overall she was satisfied that she looked good…not too fancy, but not too casual. All that was left now was her makeup. She strode up to the vanity and pulled out her makeup appliance kit.

As she was adding a subtle amount of makeup to her eyes, the door cracked open and Nina strode in before stopping in her track to look Molly up and down. "Who are you all dressed up for?"

Molly smiled as she applied a layer of mascara to her lashes, "Got a date."

"Ooooh," Nina squealed, her interest suddenly piping up. "Is it with that awkward guy you always talk about? What was his name? Sheldon? Uh, Shane?"

Molly sighed, "No." _unfortunately._

Nina's brow furrowed, "Well who's it with then?"

"His name's Cooper. We ran into each other when I was leaving one of my classes. Told me he wanted to make it up to me by taking me to dinner."

"Lucky," Nina congratulated as she sat down on her bed and unlaced her converse.

"Thanks," Molly smiled as she looked down at her watch and noticed she was running late, "Yikes! I gotta go!"

Molly waved goodbye to Nina, as she snatched up her purse and ran out of their room.

* * *

The date went along quite smoothly; Molly was actually having a great time. Cooper seemed like a genuinely nice guy. He was funny, smart, and he wasn't too bad on the looks.

He told her about how he was hoping to one day become a lawyer. Molly told Cooper that she wanted to become a doctor (not a complete lie, she just didn't think it wise to say she wanted to deal with dead bodies for a living…might not go over too well for a first date.)

After the movie ended, Cooper drove Molly back to campus and walked her back to her dormitory.

"I had a really great time tonight," Molly smiled as they stood outside of her residential hall. She looked down nervously as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"Enough to possibly go on a second date?" Cooper asked as he raised his eyebrows up hopefully.

Molly answered by leaning forward and pressing a short and sweet kiss to his lips.

Cooper sighed in bliss as Molly pulled away, "I take it that's a yes?"

"That's a yes." Molly laughed as she adjusted the strap of her purse before walking up to the door. Cooper left in the opposite direction.

Molly was feeling giddy as she practically bound up the steps to the door, but as she reached forward to the doorknob a deep voice rang out, "Take it the date went well?"

Molly spun around in surprise, and let out a sigh of relief as she realized it was only Sherlock. She clutched her chest as she panted, "Jesus Christ you scared me! What are you doing here?"

Sherlock was propped up against the brick wall with a cigarette dangling from his fingers as he exhaled a stream of gray smoke.

"You know where he's going?" Sherlock inquired as he watched Cooper disappear in the distance, striding with his hands in his pockets like he owned the streets.

"I don't know, maybe to his own place?" Molly asked as she rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"Correct." Sherlock nodded as he took another drag from his cigarette, the red embers casting a light on his features. "He is disappointed you did not invite him up to your bed, so he's off to finish the date with his hand."

"Excuse me!?" Molly exclaimed looking taken aback.

"He is going to jerk himself off to films with a pornographic nature…do keep up Molly." Sherlock rolled his eyes as he ground the cigarette into the concrete before flinging it into the bushes. Sherlock then stood up to his full height and turned to Molly who was still trying to put together a coherent sentence.

"Just thought you should know." Sherlock shrugged as Molly was shooting daggers at him through her eyes.

"Is that all, or am I free to go inside?" She hissed through clenched teeth. Figures that Sherlock would ruin her night after it had been going so well.

"Well there's also-" his voice trailed off.

"What?" Molly demanded suddenly slightly interested.

"He has a thing for virgins," Sherlock admitted looking Molly in the eyes.

"Excuse me! I'm not-," Molly tried to deny it, but her rapidly growing beet red face suggested that there was truth behind Sherlock's words.

"Oh do calm down," Sherlock rolled his eyes as Molly scowled at him.

"How could you possibly know that?" Molly choked out, she was flustered with embarrassment.

She regretted challenging him, because he immediately spit out his list of deductions that all pointed to her innocence and virtue. She buried her face in her hands as he continued to ramble on about the way she walked and the way she took her tea and how they were all connected to each other.

Rage finally boiled over as she shouted out, "SHUT UP SHERLOCK!"

It was Sherlock's turn to look shocked at Molly's sudden outburst. Molly seemed to have surprised herself by the way she looked around her as if she was nervous about waking people up at 1:00 in the morning.

Molly sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Sherlock…I'm tired, and I just want to go to bed. I was having a goodnight up until about three minutes ago. So I'd appreciate it if you could simply keep your little deductions to yourself…okay?"

"I just don't want to see you get hurt, Henderson has a…reputation." Sherlock told her as his voice went quieter.

"Sherlock, you have a reputation." Molly said thinking back to how they first met, with him half naked over her old roommate.

"That's different…I'm not trying to coerce anyone into something they might regret later down the road."

"Look…I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I'm a big girl; I can tie my own shoes and everything. I can handle myself, and no one is going to make me do anything I don't want to do."

"For your own sake, I hope your right." Sherlock said as he pulled out a second cigarette.

Molly opened the door and stepped through the threshold before turning to face Sherlock, "You know…If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."

"Don't be absurd, jealousy is a dull minuscule emotion that distorts and distracts the mind from more pressing matters."

"Goodnight Sherlock." Molly smiled weakly as she closed the door behind her.

"Goodnight Miss Hooper." Sherlock whispered to himself as he walked off into the night following the same road Cooper Henderson had ten minutes ago.

Sherlock had some investigating to do.

* * *

**Fair warning...the rating of this story is probably gonna bump up to M within a couple chapter (I caved). I hope no one has a problem with that...**

**As always, feel more than free to leave me a lovely review...they are like fuel to me. **


	5. Hindsight

**Hello all. Right off the bat i would like everyone to notice and appreciate the change of rating to M. This doesn't mean i will just be including graphic love scenes, but other stuff as well. This is after all Drama as well as Romance.**

**That being said, I feel I should warn you that there is some nasty stuff at the end of this chapter. I don't want to spoil it, but proceed with caution.**

**YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

**...(I'm gonna go calm down)...**

* * *

October came and went, and before Sherlock knew it the weather was dropping as November rolled around. The leaves on the trees had all fallen off giving campus an eerie vibe. London hadn't actually had their first snow yet, but every morning the students would wake up to frost covering the fading green grass. It was time for students to lose the t-shirts and the sandals, and time to start bundling up in the bulky jackets and boots. Sherlock wasn't bothered by it; he wore the same type of outfit year round.

Sherlock was waiting at Cooper's front door when he got back from football practice. Sherlock sat on the ledge, with one foot propped up and the other dangling over the side. "Someone came looking for you."

Sherlock had been tailing Cooper for the past couple weeks, and had already gathered quite the case against him.

"Was she red, black, or blonde?" Cooper asked in regards to her hair color as he simply shrugged.

"Brunette actually," Sherlock informed him as he stood from the ledge and turned to face Cooper who was digging through his bag for the key.

"Must have been Sadie or Monica," Cooper thought aloud as he fished his key out triumphantly.

"I find it best to inform you that you are currently walking a very slippery slope."

"Oh yeah," Cooper challenged, "How so?"

"Molly Hooper." Sherlock said slowly and with edge.

"Oh the freshman girl? She's just a little something on the side…honestly she's being a bit of prude. Really turning me off. But you know me, always like a good challenge. I'm willing to wait. It'll be worth it."

Sherlock took a deep breath to calm down before he stepped closer to Cooper, closing the gap between them.

"Let me make this perfectly clear…if you so much as hurt one hair on her head, I…will…end…you." Sherlock threatened as he leaned into Cooper.

Cooper didn't rise to the bait, he simply huffed. "I don't know what you're suggesting Holmes, it's not my fault you were to slow to get to her first."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes as Cooper scratched the side of his head before snapping his fingers. "I'll tell you what…after I've had my fun with her, she's all yours."

Sherlock was twitching to smash his head against the wall, but that would undoubtedly worsen his problems. It was what Henderson was counting on actually. Cooper wanted Sherlock to physically attack him, Cooper would inform Molly of the assault, and then Sherlock would fall into bad graces with Molly.

"I've dealt with your kind fairly frequently…nothing but a psychotic narcissist."

"Guess it takes one to know one." Cooper smirked as he opened his door.

"That's where you're wrong…I'm not a psychopath," Sherlock warned, "I'm a high-functioning sociopath…and that ultimately makes me the worst person you want to piss off."

* * *

As it turned out, Cooper's patience only spanned a couple weeks.

Things came to an abrupt halt when he finally got sick of playing gentleman for Molly for over a month. As he walked her home he had practically insinuated that he expected 'payment' for all these dates he was taking her on. That had not gone over well with her.

Molly had turned on her heel to face him, and smacked him so hard it echoed.

"Go to hell," she cursed as she turned to keep walking away.

Cooper rubbed his reddening cheek as he called out, "Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?"

"You compared me to a prostitute…no overreacting to that," she said sarcastically.

"I never said that!" He exclaimed raising his arms. "I'm sorry, I won't say anything again."

"Look, I'm done…I don't give second chances. I'm sorry that I'm not someone who just sleeps around," Molly pinched the bridge of her nose. "Did you think if you bought me dinner I would just part my legs for you?"

His silence was enough for her and she just shook her head as she turned to walk away.

"Molly, come back here," He said softly as he reached for her arm, "would you please calm down?"

"Get off of me!" Molly hissed as she jerked her arm free from his grasp and walked off, ignoring his pleads that she come back.

She folded her arms as she hustled away, she would not permit the tears that were welling to fall. She wasn't even sad; she was more frustrated that this was the type of man Cooper had turned out to be. She really thought he had been better than that. How was it that she was so easily fooled?

She got home and told Nina that she broke things off with Cooper, but she left out the details. She wasn't quite ready to talk about it.

* * *

"A couple of us are headed to a party this Saturday…you in?" One of Molly's friends Kate asked as they left the library.

"I don't know," Molly said unsure of herself, "That's not really my scene."

"Oh come on," her friend Dom begged as he flashed puppy dog eyes at her, "It'll be fun…I promise."

"Let me think about it, okay?" Molly told him.

Dom nodded as he patted her shoulder and went his separate way along with Kate and her boyfriend Christopher.

Molly honestly wanted nothing more to just lock herself in her room for the weekend. Nina had flown back home for the weekend, it was Thanksgiving in the States and Nina's parents had insisted that she come home.

Molly was still reeling from the whole Cooper incident and wanted to be alone. She wanted to talk to Sherlock, but he was not answering her calls. They barely saw each other since he confronted her the night after her first date with Cooper.

He had of course been right, about everything. That was what upset Molly the most; she was very good at reading people, except people she was interested in. She only saw what she wanted to see. Everything else simply vanished.

In Cooper's case; she saw a kind, warm-hearted, young man who honestly wanted nothing more than her company. She never in a million years would've thought he simply wanted to bed her and be done with it.

She felt sick just thinking about it.

* * *

Molly knew this was a mistake. She was sitting on a crouch, smashed by the stranger beside her who was currently making out with his girlfriend or whoever she was. There were at least 50 people crammed into this little off-campus flat, all of them were shitfaced wasted from all the booze.

She had lost track of Dom, Chris, and Kate at least an hour ago. She didn't know for sure, but she guessed that Kate and Chris had left to go someplace more private. Dom had disappeared after someone had dared him to some bizarre drinking game that involved Mario Kart.

So here she sat, alone for the past hour, occasionally sipping from her red party cup. She didn't drink often…but she could tell that this was some cheap beer some upper class man had bought from the nearest gas station.

She was about to get up and leave when she felt someone tug at her ponytail, she turned to see a very drunk girl admiring her hair. Molly thanked her before freeing her hair from the girls grip. Molly got up deciding she was going to go back to her room and read a book or watch a movie. She didn't like being surrounded by drunks who would pull her hair or make out in front of her. She needed to hit the bathroom before she left. It was at least a twenty minute walk from here.

So she wiggled her way off the plush red couch and managed to maneuver around the groups of people who were blocking the hallway.

She headed back to the living room where she had been sitting, realizing that she had left her sweater there. She quickly slipped the wooly material on before grabbing her drink and downing the rest of it.

That was a bad idea, because after a few seconds she began to feel dizzy.

Molly plopped back on the couch as she felt a headache coming on. The music suddenly seemed much louder, and her vision was starting to blur. She wasn't drunk, she barely had one drink. Her heart beat started to pound rapidly, she felt sweat pooling at her hairline and lazily raised her hand to swipe at it. Something wasn't right, she felt…off.

Molly struggled to sit up, and when she tried to stand to her feet she tripped and landed against a table struggling to stay balanced. She had knocked about four party cups over, spilling beer onto the carpeted floor.

"Hey watch it!" A distorted voice called out but Molly ignored it.

She had to get out of here, fast. She knew the signs; she was drowsy and fighting the urge to curl up on the couch and sleep, dizzy as she couldn't seem to focus on anything for more than a second, and she didn't seem very in control of her own body, her legs moving out of sync with her mind…someone had drugged her.

Damn. How could she have been so stupid! Someone must have slipped something into her drink when she went to the bathroom.

_Focus Molly. Think. Think. Think. Stay concentrated._

She focused all her energy on pulling her flip phone from her back pocket and pulled up the first number that came to mind. Still leaning against the table she began to type out her message.

_14 Miller Ave._

_Please Hurry!_

_MH_

She struggled hitting the appropriate keys on her phone, but after a few moments she was able to hit the send button. She prayed that Sherlock would get the message.

As she stumbled across the hallway, bumping into people as she went, she felt something latch onto her arm. Molly felt a wave of panic, as the figure took a hold of her and lead her the opposite way, away from the door, and away from safety. They went through the crowds of people, nobody noticing that anything was off. They simply saw her as another drunk. She tried to call for help, but every time she opened her mouth to scream, nothing came out. She flailed around her free arm, trying to grab something, but it was no use. A wave of fear overtook her as they reached the staircase and began to ascend it. She was helpless to stop it; she would completely blackout within a few minutes. She stumbled up the steps and would've hit them face first if it weren't for a pair of strong arms holding her upright so she wouldn't collapse.

Her head dangled, and she tripped over another step only to be lurched up again. They finally reached the top and Molly stepped into a wall, the hallway spinning around her.

She was escorted through a door, into an empty bedroom. She absent mindedly heard the door close, and heard the lock click into place.

Blackness over took her as she was pushed down onto the bed. She managed one final look at who it was who had drugged her. Although the face was out of focus, she'd recognize it anywhere. Green eyes, blonde hair, golden skin. Cooper Henderson.

Even falling out of consciousness she noticed the change in him, she was no longer looking into the eyes of the sweet man who had asked her out on a date. That man was gone…if he had ever even existed. Cooper had shown his true colors.

She was now looking into the eyes of a monster.

* * *

**I think I'm going to rename this story '_Shit happens to Molly Hooper_'. :/**

**...no worries, all will be resolved soon.**

**Reviews mean a lot to me :)**


	6. How to Save a Life

**Hello all, I left a major cliffhanger last chapter and I didn't want anyone waiting too terribly long. I know you wanna see Sherlock kick some Ass…I hope not to disappoint :)**

**He goes a little 'you should have let me sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep!' (ST:ID)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The first thing Molly Hooper did when she resurfaced from darkness was throw up. She bolted up right and managed to keel over the bed she was laying on, before empting the contents of her stomach into the waste bucket that was luckily only a couple feet away.

Molly panted heavily as she finished heaving and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. It was then that she noticed she wasn't wearing the clothes she had on the night before. Gone was her jeans and sweater. She was now in a baggy long sleeve t-shirt and red gym shorts.

She rubbed her eyes as she tried to remember what had happened last night. Her memory was completely hazy; all she had were little flashes of that god awful party her friends convinced her to go to.

Her head was pounding, her eyes were sensitive to light, she felt like she was going to get sick again. She had been hung over only once before…and it was nothing like this. This was ten times worse.

Slowly she remembered how she blacked out after finishing her drink, and how someone had drugged her and led her to an empty bedroom.

That someone was Cooper Henderson.

Fear immediately overtook Molly and she fought back tears as she assumed what had happened to her. He slipped her a date rate drug. Tears fell down her cheeks and she felt her lower lip tremble. She needed to get out of here; no doubt Cooper was around here somewhere.

She quickly slipped out from under the duvet and shuffled onto the floor. She ran her hands through her hair as she looked around for any of her belongings. Her purse? Her clothes? Her phone?

Screw it. She thought, the first thing she was doing when she got out of here was calling the police.

Molly tiptoed as quietly as she could as she moved towards the bedroom door. She just needed to get out, no looking back and no turning back.

She couldn't help but look at the layout of the room. It was completely bland. No posters were on the wall, no decorative features. Just four walls, a bed, and a desk.

Molly reamed herself for playing interior decorator. Escaping should be her number one priority at the moment. Not the layout of his room.

She turned back to the door and thrust it open quickly but quietly.

Molly squealed as she opened the door and was face to face with someone, instinct took over and before she knew what she was doing she was clenching her fist and ramming it into the person's nose.

The person grunted as his head kicked back, "Was that really necessary?"

The minute her fist began to soar she recognized that it was just Sherlock, but she was too late to stop it. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock as she began spitting off apologies.

"Woman, please sit down before you hurt yourself…or break my nose." Sherlock wiggled his nose as he attempted to regain feeling in it.

"What's going on? What happened? Where am I?" Molly rambled on as she ran her hands through her hair. She paused suddenly in complete and utter confusion, "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," Sherlock said slowly as if it were completely obvious.

"What? How?" Molly's voice shook as she tried to understand what was happening, "How did I get here?"

Sherlock walked over to her put his hands on her shoulders and led her back to his bed, "You texted me…don't you remember?"

Molly fought to remember how she had sent him that emergency text, everything was just so hazy…she struggled with the bits and pieces of her memories from the night before.

She shook her head as she sat back down.

"Understandable," Sherlock waved it off, "Memory loss is commonly associated with drug overdoses. It will slowly return to you with time."

"Drug overdose?" She asked.

"You were slipped an abnormally high amount of Valium. Your blood work suggests it was three times the prescribed amount." Sherlock explained as he sat down at the foot of the bed.

"Who took my blood?" She asked trying to grasp everything he was saying.

Again Sherlock looked as if the answer were obvious, "Me of course."

"You just happen to walk around with syringes in your pockets?" Molly asked with disbelief.

"Don't be ridiculous…I keep them in my bathroom cupboard."

"I feel like I'm about to pass out." She said rubbing her head.

"Another common symptom to drug withdraw. I have taken the liberty of contacting your professors and getting you medically excused from classes this week."

"What do you mean? Did you tell them what happened?" Molly asked. She didn't want all of campus knowing that some sick bastard had tried to rape her.

"Do calm down," Sherlock rolled his eyes, "your secret is safe. I simply made a few calls. It'll take you approximately 72 hours to clear the Valium out of your system. You will be staying here during this time."

"Here? At your house?" She asked.

"Why do you keep repeating what I say? Are you hard of hearing?" he asked looking puzzled.

Molly huffed as she played with the hem of the oversized shirt. "Wait a minute where did my clothes go?"

"Unfortunately the first thing you did when you walked in the door was vomit profusely," Sherlock informed her, "Made a rather bit of a mess."

"So you changed me?"

"I was planning on letting you go, but I thought it ill advised to leave you soaking in your own filth." He said before motioning to another room, "Your clothes are currently in the wash."

Sherlock went on to explain, "I let you keep your modesty. I did not touch either of your undergarments; I simply focused on the task of slipping you into something a little more comfortable."

Molly took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself as she took in all of what Sherlock was telling her. She suddenly felt fear crawl into her. She still needed to ask the most important question.

"Did he-," she whispered inaudibly as she motioned to her lower body.

Sherlock slid forward and grasped her hand affectionately before shaking his head, "No. I managed to find you before he could violate you. You're safe now."

"Where is he?" She whispered.

"He is currently being held in an under-the-radar prison cell, courtesy of my brother. You won't have to worry about him any longer."

Tears began to fall down Molly's face in relief. She couldn't believe how close she had come to assault. How would she have faced her father? It was downright despicable. Having both daughters exposed to that.

She felt Sherlock's callused thumb swiping away her tears as she wept.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Sherlock said softly.

Molly nodded as she sniffed and wiped her nose with the sleeve of the shirt.

"Take a long hot shower and then come downstairs and try to stomach some food. Also drink plenty of water. You're dehydrated, and that is the quickest path to recovery."

Sherlock helped her stand and led her to his bathroom where he got her a towel and washcloth. He warned her to not have the water scolding hot. Molly wanted to hug him; he had gotten her distress call and rescued her.

As Sherlock walked into his kitchen he sighed as he ruffled his hair with his hand. It had been a long night, one he had no intention of repeating. He hoped to be able to one day delete this memory from his mind.

These next couple of days were not going to be fun for poor Molly. Sherlock had his fair share of experience when it came to drugs and detoxing. That was why Mycroft insisted she stay with him. Who better to help the drugged girl than the junkie himself?

He glanced down at his watch.

5:50 PM

Molly had slept for over 15 hours. And in a couple more, she would be dead tired again. He hoped to get some food in her system. Hopefully, she would be able to stomach it and keep it down.

To be on the safe side he chose to make two slices of buttered toast and a small glass of Gatorade. Something light.

When he heard her bare feet padding cautiously down the hallway he began to explain that she was going to have to eat something. But when he popped his head up to make eye contact, he froze and stumbled on his words.

Molly was standing in the hallway, dripping wet…with her towel clutched protectively around her. Her arms were folded around her as if she were trying to shield her breasts. She had one foot balanced on top of the other nervously. She too seemed to be avoiding eye contact.

"Umm…do you have…any extra clothes…that I could, uh, borrow?" She asked meekly.

"Dresser on the first-er…first dresser on the left, in my room that is." Sherlock corrected himself mentally hitting himself over the head.

Molly nodded appreciatively as she scurried back to the safety of the room before closing the door behind her, rather loudly.

Sherlock was frazzled. It had been a long day, but he wouldn't change a second of it except for the actions that had landed her here. But he nonetheless would assist her in any and every way he could.

As he got out the food to prepare her meal he mused on the events of the night before.

* * *

**The night before:**

_14 Miller Ave._

_Please Hurry!_

_MH_

The second he had finished reading the text, Sherlock had bolted off of his couch and was already out the door.

12 possible scenarios had popped into his head that involved Molly needing his specific help. He was familiar with Miller Avenue, and he recalled how students had talked amongst themselves of a party going on that night at house address number 14.

So Molly was at a party, and unintentionally in trouble. He would've been able to deduce the specifics of it, but he worried that there would be no time.

The address she had given was at least ten minutes away if you were on foot running. He could get there in three minutes by car.

Seeing no other option Sherlock ran onto the street and flagged down the first car to drive by. The driver slowed down, and Sherlock having no time to explain opened the driver side door and tossed the poor man onto the road before speeding off.

2 minutes and 47 seconds later Sherlock was running up the stairs shoving drunkards out of the way as he made his way through the house.

The layout of the house indicated that all the bedrooms were on the second floor. So he bounded up the stairs three at a time and opened the first door to an empty room. He went to the second and jiggled the knob only to find it locked.

Sherlock took a deep breath as he stepped back. He focused all his rage on the door as he brought his foot up and forcefully kicked the door open so hard that wooden splinters flew in multiple directions.

He felt the nastiest wave of rage flow through him as he saw Cooper Henderson hovered over Molly while the man tried to free her of her sweater and undershirt. One sleeve was off exposing a plain black bra.

Cooper turned to Sherlock and immediately angrily told him to get out. Sherlock wasn't even aware that he was lurching forward toward the man who was attempting to violate Molly. His Molly.

Sherlock froze as he fisted Cooper's muscle shirt before slamming him into the wall. Cooper grunted in pain as his head left a dent in the drywall.

"I warned you!" Sherlock hissed.

Sherlock proceeded to throw him onto the ground before pummeling his face in. Sherlock's fists ran red with both Cooper's blood and his own.

He was only able to stop when he heard a soft moan come from the bed. He looked over and saw Molly twitching slightly. Although he was dying to bloody up the pretty boy, he had come here to save Molly, and that's what he was going to do.

Henderson would no doubt disappear. It would be easily for Sherlock to follow him, but he wanted Henderson detained immediately. He would simply have to incapacitate him until his brother Mycroft was contacted.

"This is not over, Henderson." Sherlock said coldly as he stood up. "I'm going to need to be able to find you later…this is going to hurt."

Sherlock took a hold of Cooper's foot and lifted it off the ground before slamming his own foot down onto the tibia with enough pressure to snap the bone in two.

Cooper howled in pain as he clutched his leg and curled into a fetal position. The pathetic man began to sob as Sherlock bent down and rifled through his pockets. He finally came across a packet of drugs with a few of the pills missing. Sherlock clicked his tongue in success before sliding the drugs into his back pocket.

Sherlock then turned to Molly and tenderly lifted her into his arms bridal style. Her head was tucked into his chest so it wasn't dangling over his arm. Her eyes were fluttering rapidly and her fingers were twitching.

He shouted at people to get out of the way as he left the house. He buckled her into the front seat of his 'borrowed' car and drove them back to his own apartment.

By the time they got back, Molly had regained a portion of her motor controls and was able to stand on her own with Sherlock's help.

Sherlock tracked down the man whose car he had borrowed, and compensated him well.

The minute Sherlock opened his front door and helped her onto her feet she keeled over and threw up all over herself and the floor.

Sherlock sighed as he simply helped her up the stairs hoping she wouldn't get sick again…at least until she was in the bathroom.

When he got there, he had her step out of her jeans before sitting her on the lid of the toilet and pushed the wastebasket between her knees just in case. He then grabbed the ends of her salmon pink sweater and in one fluid motion drew it over her chest and arms.

Molly attempted to swat him away grumpily as she shivered. Under different circumstances, Sherlock would've laughed.

He tossed the soiled clothes into his bedside hamper before coming back in with a spare set of nightwear.

He set the clothes on the edge of the sink as he grabbed the damp washcloth and dabbed at her face, washing away any remains of her stomach contents.

He quickly remembered that he would need to take a blood sample from her while the drugs were strong in her system. Molly protested as he pricked her arm with the sharp needle, but she as quickly forgot what she was complaining about.

Getting her into clothes was a lot trickier than getting her out of them, but when he had finally finished the task he stood her up and led her to his bed.

The minute she hit the covers, her eyes shut and she began to lightly snore. Sherlock took a moment to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes before he turned the lights off and left the room, letting her get some much needed rest.

She would no doubt be extremely concerned when she came around. That would likely take several hours. In the meantime, he had business to take care of.

He pulled out his phone and dialed the number he only saved for emergency.

"Mycroft…I need your help."

* * *

**Present:**

Molly woke up when she heard her door creak. She turned slightly just to see Sherlock's shadow in her doorway. After eating the food he had prepared for her, she had gone back to bed. That was a couple hours ago…it was now close to midnight.

"I'm about to turn in for the night," He informed her, "Will you be allright?"

Molly nodded weakly as she pulled the duvet closer around her neck, she didn't look at him and she didn't speak at all.

"I'll just be down the hall if you need me." Sherlock unhooked his arms from behind his back and began to walk away.

Fear suddenly overwhelmed her as she heard him exiting the room, leaving her all alone.

"Sherlock?" Molly asked weakly. She sat up and turned to him. He was in black plaid sweatpants and a navy blue t-shirt. He looked completely different when he wasn't wearing a suit or dress shirts.

He turned around halfway through his doorway; he raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

"Will-Will you stay with me?" She asked timidly.

Sherlock toyed with his phone, rotating it in his hand. "Is that what you want?"

Molly bit her lip and nodded once again not looking him in the eye.

Sherlock walked back to the bed and waved at her to scoot over. She did as he asked immediately as she sat up and clutched the silky shirt to her chest.

Sherlock pushed the duvet aside and sat with his back against the headboard as he toed off his socks and tossed them to the floor. He then automatically lifted his arm, and she leaned over and rested her head against his chest.

"Better?" He asked.

He felt her nod through his shirt.

"Good…now go to sleep," he said in his monotone voice.

Looking back, it was that exact moment that Molly Hooper realized she was in love with Sherlock Holmes.

* * *

**I did just a little research when it came to detoxing from Date Rape Drugs…so I apologize if it's not 100% accurate. All mistakes are mine...**

**Let me know what you think. As always leave a review…I love waking up to an inbox full of 'em!**


	7. The Road to Recovery

**Hello all. I would just like to say that I am completely overwhelmed by the response I have gotten to this story. I never thought that I would have as many readers as I do. What started as a tiny idea spiraled into something much larger (I feel like I'm giving an awards speech :/).**

**Some people are saying that they miss Sherlock's mysteriousness. But don't worry, it's still there! Sherlock is like an hour glass, emotions slowly come through...they don't pour out all at once.**

**Anyways, this chapter was originally longer, but I decided to break it up into two parts. I felt that it would flow better with separate chapters. So this one is a bit shorter. Hope everyone enjoys :D**

* * *

For the first time in his life, Sherlock let a girl spend the night in his bed.

But if anyone were to walk in at the moment they would not see two young students in the throes of passion…no they would see a girl needing protection and a boy offering comfort in the best way he could.

Sherlock was lying on his back; Molly was curled tightly around him with her head resting on his chest. Sherlock's left arm was wrapped around Molly's back holding her tightly in place, and his right arm was resting on his stomach clutching molly's hand in his.

They had lain like this all night. Neither one stirring, nor daring to make a move.

After asking Sherlock to stay with her, she had quickly fallen asleep, and within a matter of minutes, her chest was rising and falling rhythmically.

The metronome that was her heart was surprisingly relaxing to him…and within a few minutes he had fallen asleep right beside her.

Sherlock wanted nothing more than to lay with her throughout the morning and into the afternoon…but he was about to have a rude awakening…literally.

"Well well well," A charismatic voice rang out causing Sherlock's eyes to pop open. "Not quite what I was expecting when you called me two nights ago."

Sherlock glared as his brother Mycroft began inspecting his little brother's room. Sherlock carefully slipped out from underneath Molly and put another pillow under her head. She immediately started to stir sensing that he was gone.

"You should be pleased to know that Mr. Cooper-"

"We aren't talking about this here!" Sherlock ordered as he looked down at the sleeping Molly. She was undoubtedly still reeling from the event, and the last thing he wanted was her reliving the experience for Mycroft's sake.

Mycroft raised an eyebrow, obviously not expecting the spark of hostility.

"As you wish brother mine." Mycroft said as he strolled out of the bedroom.

"Anyways, as I was saying before you so kindly interrupted me is that Cooper Henderson is facing a minimum of ten years in prison."

Sherlock's head snapped up, "That's not good enough."

"What do you want me to do, little brother?" Mycroft sighed.

"I found a prescription for Valium in his pocket." Sherlock said as he pulled out packet and placed it on the table. "32 pills in total. 18 have been used already, yet Molly had the equivalent of three pills in her system."

"You're suggesting he has done this before."

"I'm not suggesting anything…I'm saying he has done this before." Sherlock corrected as he rolled his eyes. "I just need to find out the who's, the where's, and the when's."

"Sherlock, must you insist on doing this?"

"Doing what?" Sherlock asked in confusion.

"The investigating, the puzzles," Mycroft said rubbing his eyes, "the 'the game is on!'. It upsets Mummy."

"An innocent girl was nearly raped two nights ago, someone I am acquainted with-"

"I'm well aware of that." Mycroft cut in.

"Shut up!" Sherlock yelled.

Mycroft shook his head at the outburst, "I will deal with Henderson…it is no longer your concern little brother."

Sherlock wanted to argue but decided against it. He didn't want to give Mycroft the satisfaction. "You can let yourself out."

"Where are you going?" Mycroft asked as Sherlock went back to his room.

"It is 6:00 AM…I'm going back to sleep!" Sherlock yelled before closing the door. "Goodbye, send Mother my regards."

"Sentiment," Mycroft rolled his eyes as he twirled his umbrella and exited Sherlock's flat and headed to his car which had been parked with the driver waiting patiently to take the youngest member of Parliament to Buckingham Palace to meet with the Queen.

* * *

Molly's condition had improved drastically since the day before. She was now able to walk around without feeling light headed. She had also been able to stomach more solid foods with less of a chance of retching it up.

She still felt fatigued, but by this time tomorrow she would be back to her good old self. She really owed Sherlock a lot. He had gone through a lot of trouble to look after her. She might not have known him terribly well, but she could tell that Sherlock was not someone who usually did this sort of thing.

She wanted to repay him in some way, but she didn't know what to do. He had continually insisted that he was simply helping out a friend in need.

As Molly tried to figure out what to do for Sherlock she begun to realize how very little she knew about him. She didn't know what kind of food he liked; she didn't know if he preferred movies or books, she didn't know if he favored Kirk or Picard. He was like a complete stranger to her.

That was something she would need to amend today when they had the whole day to themselves.

They were sitting on his couch; molly was seated cross-legged with her hands resting on her knees watching some old cartoon. She looked over at Sherlock who had his legs crossed at the ankles, his head was thrown back and his fingers were steepled under his chin…he appeared to be in deep thought.

Molly looked over at him for a second, confused by what he was doing. She had a list of things she wanted to ask him…but she didn't know where to start.

She was determined to get to know Sherlock Holmes. And not in a 'this is the guy who rescued me' type of way.

"Either ask your question or stop staring at me." Sherlock's voice broke her silence startling her.

"Beg your pardon?" She asked surprised.

"Did you know that a human's sixth sense is the ability to detect if they are being watched…I am finely tuned into this ability, and for the past 40 seconds you have not taken your eyes off of me." He explained.

Molly stumbled over her words as she tried to explain herself.

"You really should get that stutter checked out…might cause you to run into problems down the line."

"I want to know something about you?" Molly blurted out.

Sherlock opened his eyes, and sat up suddenly and turned in his seat to look at her. "What do you need to know? You already know my name, what I do, who I associate with, what more do you need to know?"

"Something personable I guess…you know so much about me just by looking at the state of my clothes." She shrugged, "I just feel like you're a stranger to me."

Sherlock sighed, "What would you like to know?"

Molly bit her lip as she tried to figure out the best question, "Tell me a secret that not many people know about you."

Sherlock rolled his eyes and took a breath as if what he were about to say was classified above top secret. ""My first name is actually William."

Molly looked at him in disbelief and then to her surprise she began to laugh.

Sherlock looked utterly confused at this point, the reason behind Molly's random fits of laughter were completely beyond his realm of comprehension.

"Good to know my name is funny to you," Sherlock pouted as he folded his arms.

"It's not that, it's just so…" Molly threw her arms up, "ordinary!"

"Precisely, that is why I prefer to be referred to as my middle name Sherlock."

"So your name is William Sherlock Holmes?"

"William Sherlock Scott Holmes," Sherlock corrected throwing in his second middle name that came from his mother's maiden name.

"Don't worry; I like Sherlock much better anyways." Molly laughed.

"Good." Sherlock said crossing his arms, "So are you going to tell me something in return?"

"Why should I, you seem to know everything there is to know about me." Molly laughed.

"I always miss something…and on this occasion I prefer to have you tell me yourself," Sherlock told her.

"Ask your question."

Sherlock smirked. Oh he could have fun with this.

* * *

**Short and sweet. More to come in a day or two. I'll keep you posted.**

**Leave a review if you would be so kind, until next time! **


	8. It Ends Tonight

**Hi, back with part two. So I don't know who all's caught it…but I keep referencing Molly's sister in several chapters. This chapter explains what all happened with her, it's an important element to the story.**

**In the words of Khan…SHALL WE BEGIN?**

* * *

A thousand questions danced around Sherlock's head as he attempted to decide which direction to go with. Should he ask something more personal? Or something trivial? Oh the endless possibilities at hand.

"You wish to study with the hope that one day you can become a respectable Pathologist?" Sherlock asked

Molly nodded, "That's the plan at the moment."

"Most girls would cringe at the sight of a cold corpse."

Molly bit her lip, "I'm not most girls."

"Why are you not like most girls…what made you interested in Pathology?" Sherlock asked, "That is my question."

Molly took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. Sherlock immediately deduced that it was a personal reason, as if she had something to prove to herself…but what?

"I've never told anyone this before…not even my own Dad." Molly told him as she ran a hand through her hair. "He thinks I'm just interested in dead things, he doesn't know that there is a deeper reason behind it."

Molly paused and turned on the sofa to face Sherlock; she folded her hands in her lap and crossed her legs.

"I have two siblings…I'm the middle child. My younger brother Teddy is 14…and my elder sister Olivia," Molly took a deep breath before continuing, "she would have been 21 this year."

"She has passed away," the minute it slipped out of his mouth Sherlock mentally reamed himself, _'No Shit Sherlock!'_ of course she was dead. Molly had referred to her in the past tense.

"Yeah, she died three years ago…a few months before she had graduated."

Molly paused before continuing, no doubt trying to keep tears at bay. The story was pretty graphic.

"Olivia's volleyball coach had kept the team late and she didn't have money for a cab…she decided to walk, but she never made it home. It was like she disappeared. Her friends saw her leave the school…but no one saw her come home."

"The police had found her three days later, buried in a dumpster in some off road alleyway. She was wrapped up in a shower curtain with no clothes on. Her body was covered with bruises and cuts. Everything you can imagine happened to her…had happened."

Molly sniffed and rested her head on her hand, not wanting Sherlock to see her crying. "My sister was tortured and raped by a sadistic killer for three days before he finally slit her throat and threw her out as he would the garbage."

"Something snapped in my mum's mind that day. She was the one who had to identify the body…and she was never the same after that." Molly paused again as if she was suddenly talking to herself, "She would just sit in Olivia's room for hours on end, not eating or sleeping. She would snap if one of us tried to talk to her. And then one day Teddy and I got back from school and she was just gone. She had packed a bag with a few of her belongings and took off in her car like nothing had happened. I haven't seen or heard from my mum since. She just disappeared leaving the rest of us alone."

Sherlock did nothing but look over at Molly finally let a single tear escape her eye.

"You know the worst part?" Molly asked not waiting to hear Sherlock respond. "They never caught the man. The man who killed my sister got away with it, and he's still out there somewhere. Autopsy report came back inconclusive in regards to any information about who the madman was."

"That's why you want to become a pathologist?" Sherlock inquired. "You want to do what your sister's could not. Be able to give families peace of mind."

Molly nodded as she sniffed and rubbed her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. On her wrist Sherlock noticed the crafted bracelet with the six small beads that spelled out OLIVIA.

* * *

A little while later Molly was sitting on Sherlock's couch with a plate of chips and a large sandwich watching _Star Trek: The Voyage Home_ which was playing on one of his many channels.

After her confession, she settled down for another brief nap. She had woken up and heard the shower running and figured Sherlock was freshening up. They had dropped the subject of Olivia, and would not be bringing it up again...ever.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and she would be returning to her own dorm room in a few hours. Nina's flight was due to return at 7 and Molly wanted to be there when she got back. She was going to sit Nina down and explain everything that had gone down with Sherlock and Cooper.

She was honestly sad to go; given the circumstances of what got her here in the first place, she had made the best out of the situation. She enjoyed living with Sherlock…and cuddling with him.

That was what she would miss the most.

On cue Sherlock came strolling into the room. He had just gotten out of the shower and was wearing jeans and a white undershirt. His hair was still slick from washing it…slowly starting to curl wildly.

It was still odd for her to see him in such casual clothes. He looked equally as good in them; it just took some time to get used to it.

"What is this rubbish you are watching?" Sherlock asked as he stepped over and joined her on the couch.

"Hey watch it; this rubbish is one of my favorites." She answered him slightly offended that he insulted her Trekkiness.

"It's incredibly predictable…the dark lord is actually the protagonists father. How did no one see it til the end of the movie?"

"That's Star Wars," She motioned to the TV, "Two completely different things."

He waved his hand dismissively, "Boring. They both involve space travel at light breaking speeds, scientifically impossible I might add. They both answer threats to their worlds and go about shooting their little laser guns and swords at each other."

"Oh boy, you must have had a rough childhood," Molly sighed and rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"I do recall watching Saturday reruns with my father…I remember one character specifically. The genetically engineered human Khan…he was acceptable I suppose."

Molly laughed. He would like the power hungry Augment the best. He seemed like the type who would root for the bad guy.

"You know, I honestly think I like Jean-Luc Picard better than Kirk. He's Charles Xavier in his spare time."

Sherlock looked utterly confused, "I don't know what that means."

"It's an X-…never mind," Molly dismissed realizing it would be a waste of time to explain all of her favorite fandoms to Sherlock, who would no doubt lecture her about how ridiculous all these things were.

Nevertheless, he had sat with her through the remainder of the movie. Occasionally he would make a deduction about one of the characters (which she had to admit, he got spot on). He complained very little...only about once every five minutes.

Molly smiled as she curled up next to Sherlock as he started up another rant about humpback whales.

* * *

Sherlock walked Molly all the way to the door of her room. Nina would be coming back in a couple of hours and Molly decided that she was going to sit her roommate down and tell her the whole story of Cooper from the beginning.

"If you need anything else, don't hesitate to contact me." Sherlock said earnestly as he stood outside her doorway with his hands buried in his Belstaff.

Molly turned around and smiled at him. "Do you want to come in?"

Sherlock pursed his lips and then reluctantly shook his head, "as tempting as that sounds…I must be getting back to my studies. I have a twenty page thesis due by midnight and I'm afraid I've gotten no farther than the title page."

Molly laughed slightly as she walked up to say goodbye to him.

She saw him about to turn away when she finally realized what her payment to him could be.

"Sherlock?"

He turned his head and met her eyes; she walked a few steps to close the distance between them. She looked up at him and stood up on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his cheek, "Thank you…for everything."

She smiled as she saw his cheeks turn the faintest shade of red. He brought a finger up to the spot where her lips had been a moment ago and seemed to trace the faint lines where her mouth was.

He smiled at her once again before he did a sort of bow and disappeared down the hallway.

Molly felt giddy as she fell back against her bed. What had started off as the scariest weekend of her life had quickly turned into one she wouldn't have traded for the world.

* * *

**Kirk or Picard? Who do you think is best?**

***I love waking up to an inbox full of reviews, story alerts, and favorites…do not disappoint me***


	9. It's Christmas Time Again!

**Hello World…welcome back for another exciting chapter of The Story of Us, I'm excited because this chapter is where things start to pick up pace (*hint hint* Sherlolly fluff in a couple chapters)…I won't keep you waiting too long. Also my Spring Break starts tomorrow, so I'll hopefully have lots of time to get things written down. I tend to take things one chapter at a time…bad habit really. **

**Also, I am in the process of outlining a new Sherlolly story. It'll be Vamp!lock and focus on a lot on the supernatural. Think Sherlock meets Middle Earth. (Molly will either be an elf or a witch, can't decide yet)…so if that's your cup of tea, stay tuned :)**

**Enjoy…**

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Nina shouted as Molly finished telling her story of the disastrous weekend that she had had, "Are you FUCKING kidding me?!"

Molly winced as Nina paced around their room with her hands clenched at her sides.

"Where is the little douche-bag? I'm gonna go rip his goddamn balls off!" She shouted.

Molly attempted to calm her friend down, "It's been taken care of. He's been expelled and is facing criminal charges."

"Really?" Nina asked burying her head in her hands, "Who told you that?"

"Sherlock did. He's the one who got me out of there in the first place…apparently they found Cooper with a broken leg…I most certainly didn't do that."

Nina seemed to nod her head as she stopped pacing and put her hands on her hips, "Well, where is Sherlock…I'm gonna go buy him a fucking medal."

Molly winced slightly, Nina never cursed this much. She was always so composed and reserved. She had to be really pissed off about something. Then again, the given situation definitely constituted as infuriating.

"I leave for five days…five days, and the worlds flipped upside down when I get back." Nina huffed as she crashed against her bed.

"How was your time at home?" Molly asked attempting to change the subject.

"It was good, my uncle-" Nina trailed on realizing what Molly was trying to do, "Nuh-uh, nice try Molls. We're not done talking about this."

"Well I am!" Molly threw her hands in the air, finally getting fed up, "I've already reamed myself as it is. I feel like a bloody idiot, I don't need another lecture about how lucky I am to have gotten out of there!"

Nina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to calm down.

"So can we please just drop the damn subject?" Molly asked as she sank to her bed, hoping to end this conversation, and put the whole thing behind her permanently.

Nina nodded as rubbed her forehead, "yeah."

"Thank you," Molly said as she crossed her legs.

The two girls sat in silence for several minutes before Molly spoke up, "I mean it though…how was Thanksgiving?"

Nina smiled, "It was nice…didn't realize how much I missed home."

"Eat lots of turkey?" Molly inquired.

"Yup, and then played a couple games of football."

"Thanksgiving sounds like such fun," Molly smiled, liking the American tradition.

"Maybe next year you can come home with me," Nina offered.

"That sounds wonderful…although I'll have to pass on the football though. Haven't played since I was a little girl, my coach always put me in the goal…bad memories."

Nina furrowed her brows, confused as to what Molly was talking about. It suddenly dawned on her, "American football. You know funny shoulder pads and slapping asses?"

"Ohh, that's right…forgot about the soccer vs. football thing." Molly laughed bringing a hand to her face in embarrassment.

* * *

"This is ridiculous," Nina exclaimed in disbelief as they walked back from the universities Café with Molly each clutching their drinks for warmth, "Finals are already here! Where has the semester gone?"

"I don't know…but I'm anxious to get home for the holidays. I haven't actually seen my dad since he helped move me in, so I'm excited to see him and my little brother."

"I'm just ready for the week to be over," Nina agreed, "and to see my family…again."

They continued to talk about their holiday plans when Molly saw a familiar figure standing across the street staring her down.

"Hey…I need to go talk with someone," Molly said slowing down as she stopped walking and tucked her hand into her coat pocket, "Catch you later?"

Nina gave Molly a knowing smile as she saw Sherlock standing off in the distance with his signature coat and scarf. Nina nodded and patted Molly's shoulder, "Go get him."

Molly blushed and shook her head as she crossed the street and ran towards Sherlock.

She finished her drink and threw the cup into the nearest trash bin before turning to Sherlock, "you following me?"

Sherlock dismissed her, "Don't be ridiculous…besides, you came to me."

"Touché," Molly laughed.

"But, seeing as you are here with me now…would you mind escorting me to my flat?" Sherlock asked, "Seeing as you are leaving in a few days, I find myself in need of your company."

Molly nodded as they began the familiar route to his off campus flat."

Sherlock held the door open for her and Molly shucked off her heavy coat and hat. Sherlock followed suit taking off the belstaff and matching scarf. "I would offer you something to drink…but seeing as you just finished your coffee, you will just decline the offer."

"But I would also thank you for the offer, didn't think you were the type to have manners." Molly commented as she sat down on his plush leather couch, in her designated spot.

"My mother did manage to teach me a few things," Sherlock answered her as he sat down opposite her and kicked his feet onto the table.

"Busy getting all packed up for break?" Molly asked as they walked.

Sherlock simply shook his head, "I'm staying here until Spring Semester begins."

"What?" Molly said in disbelief, not quite sure she heard him right.

"You heard me correctly; I will not repeat myself…I detest that." Sherlock shook his head in annoyance.

"But what about Christmas?" Molly asked thinking he would obviously be spending time with his family then.

Sherlock scoffed at the mention of the holiday.

"Yes…let's tell the children that a fat bearded man delivers them presents by means of his aviary reindeer. Or gorge our faces with sweets and cold milk!"

"But…It's Christmas!" Molly stressed as she threw her hands in the air.

"A ridiculous tradition for a ridiculous holiday," Sherlock spat in disgust as he waved off the idea.

"Oh come on now, don't be like that…" Molly whined.

"Like what?"

"A Scrooge!" Molly scolded, "No one likes a Grinch, Sherlock."

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "You do realize that those two characters are from different stories, and therefore incomparable to me and my dislike of silly religious delusions."

"I can't even begin to comprehend what your childhood must have been like," Molly said with mock wonder in her voice.

* * *

A couple hours later, Molly and Sherlock had finished a movie...it ended with Molly curled up against Sherlock (not that she was complaining). As much as she wanted to stay with Sherlock, she really needed to start studying for these tests.

"How can you stand being here alone for a whole month?" Molly asked feeling sorry for him and his impending solitary life. She was getting ready to leave and was currently slipping on her boots, coat, and hat.

"A month alone beats a month surrounded by my brother and my parents." Sherlock sighed as he opened the door for her.

"They can't be that bad…" Molly reasoned with him.

Sherlock smiled and rolled his eyes, "They aren't…I'm just high-maintenance. Mycroft really is that intolerable though."

Molly laughed. "I should be getting back to my dorm…figure I have to start studying at some point in time."

"That would be wise Ms. Hooper." Sherlock agreed as he watched her step outside.

She paused when she heard him speak up behind her, "Will I get to see you before term ends?"

Molly turned back and gaped at him, "Do you want me to?"

Sherlock simply stood with his hands in his pocket as he nodded, "I would not have asked if I did not want you to."

She smiled up at him. "Then yes, I will be back…I promise."

* * *

Final's went by smoothly, and Molly practically jumped for joy when her Professors each emailed her with her test score and overall grade in the designated class. She ended her first semester with straight A's.

Her father decided that he would take her and her brother out for dinner as a reward for her hard work. Mr. Hooper and Teddy helped her pack up her belongings before driving the three hours back to their home.

She insisted she had to make a stop to say goodbye to someone first. So she directed her dad to Sherlock's address before hopping out of the car, bounding up the flat's steps, and ringing his doorbell with haste.

She smiled when he finally opened the door. He had obviously been in bed since he was wearing a red dressing gown over his sweatpants and t-shirt. His hair was also beautifully tousled.

"My dad is here to pick me up," Molly said as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Wanted to come and say goodbye before I left."

He glanced quickly behind her and noticed a middle aged man sitting on the driver's side of a black car, and a red headed young man in the backseat…clearly Molly's father and younger brother.

Sherlock then turned his focus back to Molly and smiled; obviously happy she had followed through with her promise. He was then caught off guard when she stepped through the door frame and enveloped him with her tiny arms. Sherlock stood stiffly for a few moments, obviously not expected the sudden closeness…but his arms soon subconsciously wrapped them around her in return.

He suddenly wanted nothing more than to pull her inside his flat and keep her all to himself for the length of their holiday break. Molly would obviously be opposed to that…even if her heartbeat did in fact indicate that she was quite content in his arms.

So, with great reluctance, Sherlock pressed a kiss to her forehead and released his hold on her. Molly practically bounded down the steps from his flat, turning back to wave at him before she got into her father's car and sped off. Leaving him solitary and alone…

But that was what he wanted, right? He honestly didn't know anymore.

* * *

"Is that your boyfriend?" Teddy asked as soon as Molly got into the car and fastened her seatbelt.

Molly flushed with embarrassment suddenly realizing that she and Sherlock had looked pretty compromising. There was hugging, and then there was _hugging_.

Oh yeah, she and Sherlock were definitely _hugging._

"Ted!" Her dad said sternly as he looked at his son through the rearview mirror before turning to Molly, "…he's got a point though."

"No…he's just a friend," Molly insisted putting her hands up in surrender.

Aaron Hooper just raised his eyebrows in suspicion, "good…he looks like trouble."

"Hey!" Molly said defensively, she forgot her dad didn't know the story of Cooper and the drugging incident. And he wasn't going to know. Sometimes…ignorance was bliss.

"It's not like that…and you don't even know him." Molly said defending Sherlock.

"How old is he?"

"He's 21." Molly answered as she crossed her arms and looked out the window as stuff sped past them.

"Molly that's three years older than you," Mr. Hooper scolded clearly disapproving of the thought of her and Sherlock.

"Dad! I'm going to be 19 in two months. And it wouldn't matter…Sherlock isn't into me like that."

"Well good…" He said ending his thought on the matter.

"I thought you wanted me to 'get out there' anyways," Molly said bringing up their dating conversation from a few months prior.

"Well I was thinking you would be talking to guys your own age."

"Good Lord," Molly said burying her head in her hands as her dad went on. Teddy simply laughed the whole time.

* * *

"Dad, it needs to be up a little bit higher," Molly scolded as she put her hands on her hips and instructed her dad on exactly where every ornament and every light needed to be on the tree.

She had been home for a couple days, and after settling in she insisted on finally putting up the decorations and finding an appropriate tree.

Aaron Hooper rolled his eyes jokingly as he moved up a step on the ladder at the base of their Christmas tree. He extended his arm and brought the string of lights a layer higher on the tree.

"Hang on to your knickers Molls," He laughed as tried to wrap the cords around the branches so the lights wouldn't sink down over time. But every time, no matter how hard they were wrapped, the lights kept falling off.

Molly bit her lip as she tapped her foot. It was quite amusing to watch her dad struggle with the tree…it was the same every year. Molly and Teddy had insisted that they could've handled the decorations, but Mr. Hooper would have none of it. He was the head of the house, and he was determined to not submit defeat to his children.

"Aha," he said triumphantly as he finally got the lights to stick. He then turned towards his daughter and mirrored her position of hands on the hips, "Is that good enough for you?"

Molly stuck out her lip and rubbed her chin as she inspected the tree. She tapped her foot as she let her interior decorating skills do their job.

"A job well done," Molly said finally coming to a decision. "All that you have left is the star."

"About bloody time," Mr. Hooper joked as he dug through one of the many boxes of decorations to find the golden star that always lit up the top of the tree.

"I'm gonna go make some hot cocoa, would you like a cup?" Molly asked when she heard the tea kettle go off indicating the water was at a boil.

"Extra marshmallows if you please," He smiled as he watched his daughter head to the kitchen.

Molly softly hummed a tune to herself as she reached into their cupboards to fetch two large mugs for their cocoa.

She found herself wishing that Sherlock were here to celebrate Christmas with them. He was such a grump about it, but regardless…no one deserved to be alone on Christmas Day.

Molly quickly snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a loud crash come from the living room. Shit, her dad had probably fallen off the ladder.

She immediately put the tray down and quickly walked towards the sound of the crash.

"Dad?" She asked as she rounded the corner. "Are you-"

Her hands flew to her mouth when she saw her dad sprawled out on the ground, his limbs twitching around him.

"Shit…" She cursed as she realized what was happening.

He was having a fucking seizure.

Thinking quickly, Molly grabbed the landline and managed to dial 999 with her shaky fingers. She fell to her knees and plopped down next to her dad who was curled up in the fetal position as he rode out the seizes.

It felt like minutes before someone on the other end picked up.

"Emergency response…" The female voice answered.

"I need help!" Molly cried out desperately, "Something's wrong with my dad!"

* * *

**Once again…Shit Happens to Molly Hooper (starting to have a nice ring to it…)**


	10. So Cold

**Welcome back. I'm sorry for making this such a depressing story…I swear that wasn't my intention when I first started writing this. It just kind of happened. And I'm sorry to say that the light at the end of the tunnel…is quite a ways away. All I can ask is that you bear with me. **

**We'll get through this together :')**

* * *

_It's so quiet here_

_and i feel so cold_

_this house no longer_

_feels like home_

_~So Cold, Nikisha Reyes-Pile_

* * *

A bomb could've gone off at the other end of the hospital, and it wouldn't have broken Molly's focus on the small ceramic tile on the floor in front of her.

She had been waiting patiently to hear news about her dad for the past two hours…and she was no closer to having a clue as to what was going on.

A few moments after she had called 999, the seizes had stopped and her dad came around with no idea as to why he was lying down and why Molly was as pale and shaken as a ghost. Molly had to put her foot down and demand that he get in the ambulance when Mr. Hooper had insisted that he wasn't in need of medical attention.

"Honestly Molly, I'm fine! This is wholly unnecessary." He had argued as they saw the flashing red lights from outside the window. "It's probably nothing!"

Molly slammed her fist down on the end table so hard the coasters jumped up. "You are not going to take that chance…you are not doing that to me or Ted!"

Mr. Hooper had never seen Molly so worked up before; his youngest daughter was usually the mediator of the family. Molly was the glue that was keeping everyone together.

But when she looked up at him with teary eyes and whispered 'please'…he had no choice but to be escorted to the hospital for testing.

And that was how Molly had ended up in the waiting room anxiously awaiting the doctor to step through those double doors and tell her everything was going to be allright.

Everything was going to be allright.

Her dad would be discharged, and they would go home to a nice hot supper, relish the holidays, and forget this whole thing had even happened…

The more rational part of Molly told her that she needed to be realistic. She needed to prepare herself in case the Doctor's news wasn't good.

She knew all sorts of things could cause seizures. Epilepsy was the leading cause behind the nerve condition, but it was unlikely that he would develop it this late in his life.

A thousand things had been bouncing through Molly's brain as she rested her head in her hands and slouched over in her seat.

"Ms. Hooper?"

Molly snapped up when she heard someone calling out her name. She quickly looked up and saw a female doctor in a lab coat clutching a clipboard under one arm.

The doctor couldn't have been more than 35, she was tall with blonde hair (which was pulled up tightly), wearing a black pencil skirt, black hose, and checkered cardigan sweater. She radiated professionalism.

Molly's body seemed to be out of sync with her mind, because she had found herself standing up and walking to the doctor before Molly even realized it.

"Molly…I'm Doctor Rose McTaggert, your fathers head physician. I'll be the one overseeing him during his tests and treatments."

"Tests?" Molly asked faintly.

"Unfortunately… I'm afraid that we do not know what caused your father to suffer a seizure…our leading theory is that it is neurological but we have to perform extensive examinations to narrow the possibilities down."

"How long will all of this take?" Molly asked.

"At the very least a week." Dr. McTaggert said with compassion.

"You're telling me he won't be discharged until at least December 28th?" Molly asked in disbelief.

Doctor McTaggert simply nodded as she gave Molly a sympathetic look. "Some of the results won't be in for a matter of days…and it is ill advised that he leave the hospital."

Molly couldn't argue with the logic there. She didn't want her dad to have another episode while he was sleeping and no one would be able to find him til a while later. But it still broke her heart that her dad would have to spend the remainder of the holidays here. In a flimsy gown hooked up to wires as doctors and nurses poked and prodded at him with needles.

He didn't deserve that.

oOoOo

"Dad! Don't be ridiculous," Molly shouted as she paced around the foot of his bed, "This is insane!"

"I don't want you two to be here," Mr. Hooper said weakly from the drugs, "I don't want you spending your Christmas in a hospital chaperoning me…that's what the people in the scrubs are for."

"Dad, our place is here with you…" Teddy attempted to dissuade their father. "We want to be here for you."

Mr. Hooper sighed as he shifted his head on his pillow, "I understand that, I do. But I'm not going anywhere. Whatever's wrong with me, we'll deal with it after the holidays…but not before."

"Where would you want us to go?" Ted asked.

"Your both adults," Mr. Hooper coughed, "you decide."

Molly just shook her head, clearly upset about the whole situation. She and Teddy stayed with their dad until he fell asleep then they walked to the cafeteria to get some food.

"I'm gonna go spend a few days with Harry," Ted said as they walked down the quiet hallways. "Where are you gonna go see?"

"Kate," Molly lied on the spot as she followed the complex signs to find the way to the cafeteria. She honestly had no idea what she was going to do. She was half tempted to just curl up with a blanket on the sofa in the living room and stare at a fire until Christmas day had passed…the whole point of Christmas was to spend time with her family, and now they were all scattering like insects.

What was the point?

"Molls, do you think that-" Teddy's voice dropped low, "do you think we should try to contact…_Mom_?"

Molly's head snapped to the side at the thought, "Absolutely not! She never cared before…she doesn't get to now."

She said it a little louder than she should have, but she didn't want anything to do with their mother. The woman had abandoned her family when they needed to support each other…instead she was busy finding support in the arms of some younger Frenchman.

"Whatever," Ted said shaking his head, "I know what she did was unforgivable…but I still think she deserves to know."

oOoOo

Molly was sitting alone in her house. She and Teddy had kissed their dad goodbye with the promise to visit in a few days. Tests would begin tomorrow and Mr. Hooper had firmly told them that they were to not come back until he had news.

Molly despised being kept in the dark. She was a person who needed to know everything that was happening, every step of the way.

She drove Teddy home in complete silence, too worked up to even speak to her younger brother. As soon as they arrived home Teddy packed his suit case up and walked down the street to his friend Harry's place…his best friend since Primary.

Molly was alone. And all the pent up emotions she had been feeling since she first took her to the hospital began to surface.

She sagged against the wall of her room and slowly sank down until she was crouched on her knees. Tears began to fall silently as she crossed her arms on her knees and buried her head, attempting to hide herself from the world.

Her silent tears soon turned into full fletched sobs that she couldn't control.

She didn't know how long she stayed in that position. It was long enough that her voice ended up going hoarse. Why did so many bad things have to happen to her? Her sister's death, her mother's abandonment, Cooper's assault, and now this mysterious illness her dad had…all of that overshadowed the good in her life.

She wiped her eyes with her knitted sweater and looked at the time. It was just now 9:00. It had been the longest day of her life. Just this morning she had been helping her dad with the Christmas decorations…and now she wasn't even going to have a proper Christmas.

She was going to be holed up in this empty house for over a week.

Suddenly Molly didn't want to be alone.

oOoOo

Sherlock didn't normally do this. He was terrible at bedside manner (or sentiment in general), but somehow when an old friend of his mother's had shown up at his doorstep desperate for Sherlock's help, he just couldn't refuse her.

Martha Hudson was currently sitting on one of the wooden kitchen chairs in the middle of the room while Sherlock sat in his plush leather chair, fingers steepled under his chin and legs crossed, listening to her story intently.

"Mrs. Hudson, I'm to understand that your husband is already being held in a Miami prison?" Sherlock asked not quite following where this was going.

"Yes, got himself caught standing over a dead man with a gun in his hand." Mrs. Hudson confirmed as she sipped her tea.

Sherlock ruffled his brow, "You believe he was framed for the murders in Florida?"

It was Mrs. Hudson's turn to give Sherlock a confused look. "My dear, haven't you been listening to my story? He's facing life in prison for multiple counts of first degree murder…"

Mrs. Hudson paused to put her teacup down on the end table beside her. "…and that is not quite good enough for me."

"You wish for the court to condemn him to death by lethal injection." Sherlock said putting the pieces together.

Mrs. Hudson nodded eagerly, "Frank is not the man he used to be. It was bad enough that he would bring his lady friends around the house at odd hours of the night, but when he…"

Sherlock picked up on Mrs. Hudson touching her cheek reminiscently. Long buried secrets, painful memories subjected on her by her husband…conclusion: _Physical abuse_.

"…I simply wish to be free of him…permanently." The usually chipper and friendly Mrs. Hudson suddenly had a look of fury on her face, and Sherlock did not doubt her words.

He pursed his lips as he removed his hands from under his chin and laid them on the armrests of his chair.

"I will see what I can do…" He answered not even thinking twice. He had never met Frank Hudson personally, but he didn't doubt that the mob man had caused his poor wife more harm than she had ever deserved.

That and the fact that Sherlock missed the thrill of the game!

It had been far too long since he took a case. While he was enrolled at University, Mycroft had put restrictions on how much his little brother could do outside of school.

Sherlock despised that Mycroft was practically babysitting him…he was a grown man who didn't need someone following him around like some lost little puppy.

The case rated no more than a 3. The suspect was already in custody and all that was needed was more proof to be able to bump the charge from life in prison to capital punishment. _Boring._

But, a boring case was better than no case. And it was a personal favor to Mrs. Hudson.

A huge smile crept up onto his face as he suddenly felt like Christmas had come early. He would not be stuck watching bloody awful holiday movies on the telly…he would be sending a man to his death!

Then the doorbell had gone off and wiped the smile right off his face. Who could be at the door at this time of night? It was 11:45!

"Aren't you gonna answer that dearie?" Mrs. Hudson asked politely as she watched Sherlock not move from his chair.

Sherlock pursed his lips and hopped from his seat so quickly it caused Mrs. Hudson to jump. He marched over to the door determined to tell the person on the other side to bugger off. He had a case to look into!

Needless to say, he was bewildered when he opened the door to see Ms. Hooper standing on the spot patiently.

"Molly?" Sherlock said in complete confusion, she was the last person he had expected to show up on his doorstep.

"I'm s-sorry…I know it's-it's late," she said as her teeth chattered. She wrapped her arms around herself to conserve heat, "can-can I come in?"

Sherlock immediately stepped out of the doorway to give her room to squeeze through, "By all means."

"Th-th-thank you." Molly said weakly as she stepped into his warm flat. She felt miserable; her thin sweater was heavy from thick downfall of snow. Temperatures had reached the single digits. And of course her cab had to get stuck in a snowbank about a mile from Sherlock's flat forcing her to walk the remainder of the way!

The cabbie called a tow truck to get them out, but Molly couldn't wait that long…she had to see _him._

"Oh this is an old acquaintance of my mother and fathers, Mrs. Martha Hudson." Sherlock said gesturing to the elderly woman in the plum dress clutching her purse closely.

"Mrs. Hudson, this is Molly Hooper…" Sherlock trailed on, "…a…friend."

Mrs. Hudson suddenly had a wicked look and a mischievous smile on her face as she looked between Sherlock and Molly.

"Ooooh," She whispered as she picked up her jacket and headed for the door, "Young man you better take her to bed and get her warmed up before she freezes to death."

Sherlock opened his mouth to retort how they weren't together and really were just friends. But Mrs. Hudson beat him to the punch, "ahhh, young love…it's nothing to be embarrassed of. I myself had a nice young man in my younger days…oh the things he did to me. I must tell you that I didn't know I was as flexible as I was after a night of-"

"That's quite enough Mrs. Hudson!" Sherlock said embarrassed as he gently escorted the woman to the door, "I will help you with your situation…now I suggest you return to your home, take a relaxing herbal soother and put this whole business behind you where it belongs."

Mrs. Hudson smiled and tapped his cheek affectionately, "Oh Sherlock, how could I ever repay you?"

"I'll think of something one day…please drive safe, the weather has taken a rather nasty turn." He offered her a fake smile before shutting the door and turning back to the unexpected arrival of Molly Hooper.

He did a quick scan of her and noticed that she was drenched and shivering from the heavy snow outside. Her cheeks were numb from the freezing cold…her eyes were red for a separate reason…tears.

Her spare money was sticking out of her pocket, indicating that she had not on planned on coming here…it was a spur of the moment choice.

"Explain yourself…" Sherlock said impatiently as he glared at his watch, "It is almost midnight, why are you here."

Sherlock watched as Molly bit her lip; obviously attempting to come up with some ridiculous excuse as to why she had traveled over two hours to visit Sherlock this late at night.

A dozen reasons crossed his mind, but none of them involved her suddenly stepping forward on her tiptoes, throwing her arms around his neck and enveloping his lips with hers.

And yet…that was what she had done.

* * *

**P.S. I just wanted to note that i have hit a milestone of 100 followers! Thank you all for your support, you have no idea how much it means to me...my next goal is 100 reviews...**

**Have I mentioned how much I love reviews? :D**


	11. Into the West

**Hello world! I would just like to say thank you for the response I got last chapter, 14 reviews is a new record for me :). Thanks to all who helped out with that!**

**Just thought i would throw this out there, a lot of my chapters are inspired by listening to a certain song on repeat for like an hour...usually i'll include a verse at the beginning or end (like i did last chapter)...just a little fun fact :)**

**P.S. My sister got engaged on Saturday, so I've been a little side tracked. Due to that, I feel like this chapter was a little bit rushed but I really wanted to update. So I hope it's not too choppy. Apologies if it is...**

**Anyways, here we go…**

* * *

Sherlock was not a man who was struck dumb very often.

He was the person who always had to have the last word in an argument no matter how imprudent the conversation was. There was nothing that anyone could say or do, that would surprise him or throw him off-guard.

And yet, as he stood with Molly Hooper's arms strapped around his neck and her lips desperately pressed up against his, he was literally at a loss for words.

He had not expected this.

He was so perplexed that he gave her no reaction. He did not pull away, yet he did not kiss her back. She had initiated the kiss approximately 4 seconds ago and he did not know how to proceed. He quickly looked for the signs…

_Elevated heart rate, tug in stomach, blood flow down south_…yup the signs were all there.

He knew exactly how to proceed with this.

He brought his hands forward to rest on her hips as he geared himself up to kiss her back and then take the lead…when she drew away.

Sherlock sighed as she pulled away from him, her spur-of-the-moment actions suddenly coming back to her. Her face went beat red as she started spurting off incoherent apologies to him.

"God, I'm soo sorry," She squeaked as she backed away from him and went to open the front door, "I should never have come here…this was a mistake."

As she reached for the door Sherlock lunged forward. She managed to crack the door open a foot before Sherlock slammed it closed with one hand. Molly jumped at the unexpected movement and looked up to see Sherlock stalking towards her like a predator would his prey.

Sherlock's eyes burned into hers with glaring intensity as he reached for her wrists, lightly enveloping them with his large hands. He walked her backwards until her back hit the wooden wall. She shivered and bit her lip as she often did when she got nervous. The look she had on her face told him that she was nervous, tense, and just a little scared…he would have to amend that.

His eyes never left hers as he released her wrists and slowly moved his hands up her snow-soaked sweater to her shoulders. From there he slipped his hands up around the back of her neck as his thumbs stroked the skin by her ear.

Sherlock stared at her lips as his breathing began to get heavier. It was his turn to surprise her as he crushed his upper body into hers and kissed her with everything he had to offer.

She melted into him as she felt his tongue invade her mouth. Her arms wrapped themselves across his back clutching at his shoulders as he gently tugged at her bottom lip.

Time melded together…it could've been mere seconds or whole minutes before Sherlock regrettably pulled away.

She was gasping for breath as he rested his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed, his voice raspy as he panted, "Don't ever apologize for that, Molly."

oOoOo

Molly was sitting at his table clutching a hot mug of tea in her hands as Sherlock heated up some chicken soup.

After their make out session came to an abrupt halt, Sherlock went on his way like it had never happened. He got her a change of clothes and a blanket to cuddle up with as he fired up the tea kettle. Her nose felt stuffy, her eyes itchy, and her throat scratchy…she could already tell that an hour out in the freezing weather was going to leave her with a massive cold for the next week or so.

"So Molly…" Sherlock began as he walked over to the chair opposite her, "mind telling me what brings you here? Or are you planning on jumping me again?"

She looked up at Sherlock and saw that he had a smug look on his face. She couldn't help but smile just a little bit.

She took a sip of her tea before exhaling her breath to begin her story, "It's my dad."

Sherlock's smirk immediately dropped. He knew when she got here that something had happened to Molly that ultimately reduced her to tears. The fact that it was her father indicated that he either said something that upset her considerably…or one of his actions did.

"He's uh…he's sick." She sniffed wiping at her nose.

She went on to explain how her dad was fine one minute and the next he had collapsed to the ground and had begun to seize.

Sherlock's hands were steepled in their position as his fingers rested against his lips…lips that longed to touch Molly's. He mentally scolded himself and felt the need to hit himself upside the head.

"The doctors have no idea what's wrong with him," Molly explained as she ran a hand through her hair, "They will be running tests on him for the next week or so. Dad doesn't want me or Ted around for that…I just didn't want to be alone."

Sherlock looked into Molly's eyes and cleared his throat, "What do you need?"

Molly gave him a one word answer.

"You."

oOoOo

Lack of sleep finally caught up with Molly after the events of the day began to take their toll on her. Her head kept nodding off as she sat at the kitchen table. She needed a night's sleep. A good night's sleep.

Sherlock was determined to give that to her. So he stood up carefully and scooped her up into his arms and carried her across the hallway, up the stairs, and into his bedroom.

He carefully laid her on the bed and pulled the sheets up before he went to change out of his clothes and into his sleep ware…which consisted of flannel pants.

Once he was ready he carefully slipped under the covers on the opposite side of Molly, careful not to disturb her.

As Sherlock stared at the sleeping Molly, he began to ponder over his thoughts.

He didn't know when or how _it_ happened…he didn't care about the details, all he cared about was the fact that _it_ had happened. He had no say in_ it_; the rational part of him told him that this was the biggest mistake that he could've ever made.

A mistake worse than the drugs; the drugs that had taken over his life and almost cost him everything fell second to this…

…Sherlock had fallen for Molly.

He didn't know the extent of the emotions he felt for her. Was it love or simply infatuation? He didn't even know what love was, he had nothing to compare these feelings to.

The four girls he had ever been with had been about a physical release…there was no emotion behind it. No feelings involved. The minute one of them had started to get attached he would simply pull away and drive them back.

But with Molly, he felt like he was getting pulled in. An outside force was driving him to her. She wasn't even aware of the affect she had on him.

She made him care…and that terrified him.

oOoOo

Sherlock was almost asleep when he felt the bed shift. His eyes snapped opened and saw that Molly had rolled onto her side to mirror Sherlock's position. She was staring at their hands which were intertwined; he hadn't even realized he was clutching her hand. It must have happened sometime after he joined her in the bed.

He also noticed that she had taken off the bulky hoodie and was now just in her thin camisole and shorts. She was wearing very little clothing, and yet she was cold. She had goosebumps on her arms and legs. Her nipples were hardened and showing through the blue tank top. What she wanted was warmth from Sherlock. She wanted to feel her bare skin against his…she just wanted to be close to him with fewer barriers.

Sherlock frowned when he saw glistening on Molly's cheeks and realized she had been silently crying again.

"I just don't know what to do," Molly admitted as she faced Sherlock, "I just have a really bad feeling about this."

Sherlock pressed a kiss to their conjoined hands as she whispered, "I'm scared Sherlock. I'm terrified of what's going to happen."

Sherlock moved his hand to her waist and lurched himself forward til they were only mere inches apart.

His hand moved up to stroke her hair as he spoke, "Whatever happens, know that I will be here for you Molly Hooper…always."

He then leaned forward and kissed her for the second time that night. But where the first kiss had been heated and aggressive this kiss was gentle and sweet…but equally as passionate.

When the kiss broke, Molly turned over onto her opposite side as Sherlock pulled her back against his chest so they were spooning. His arm snaked around her waist and landed on the exposed skin from where her tank top that had ridden up. All the while thinking...

_What have you done to me, Molly Hooper?_

* * *

_Why do you weep?_

_What are these tears upon your face?_

_Soon you will see_

_All of your fears will pass away_

_Safe in my arms_

_~Into the West, Annie Lennox_

* * *

**Next Chapter will focus on Molly and Sherlock discussing the new dynamics of their relationship. I wanted to add it in to this chapter…I just didn't think it would be very realistic. She is in a very emotional state and just needs support from Sherlock. **

**Anyways, feel free to leave a review. I loved the turnout last chapter! Can i hit 100+ reviews before my next update?**


	12. A Walk to Remember

**Welcome back everyone! Sooo, I have a self-diagnosed condition called Over Eager Writers Syndrome…The minute a plot bunny bounces into my head, I have no choice but to write it down, edit it, and upload it…regardless of how many stories I am currently juggling at the moment (which is 3 by the way).**

**Anyways…I am about to upload a new story called **_**Monsters and Men**_**, it's a Vamp!lock. Think Blade meets Sherlock, with Sherlock being a vampire hunter. I won't bother you with details, but if you're interested…feel free to check it out, I'm working out the kinks, but it should be up by this time tomorrow.**

**Anyways, back to business.**

* * *

Molly Hooper stirred from her sleep as she felt a tickling sensation on her stomach. Without opening her eyes she groaned and lightly batted at the hand that was stroking her stomach. She had the best night's sleep of her life and she wasn't quite ready for it to end.

She rolled over onto her opposite side, determined to fall back asleep…regardless of Sherlock's antics.

She flinched slightly when she felt him press a gentle kiss to her forehead, followed by her nose, than her eye…than her other eye.

"Leave me alone…" Molly moaned grouchily into her pillow.

She felt Sherlock chuckle against her skin, and couldn't help the butterflies that rose in her stomach.

"Do you ever sleep?" Molly asked as she yawned and finally opened her eyes.

Sherlock just tapped his fingers against her hip and shrugged, "I can sleep when I'm dead."

"You're mad," Molly laughed, "that's what you are."

"hmmmmm," Sherlock contemplated as he slowly leaned into her, "I have been told that on occasion."

Molly smiled as he leaned the rest of the way forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. The kiss once again started off slowly, but soon grew out of their control as Molly snaked her hand up his bare back and towards the base of his neck. She lightly grabbed at his unruly curls and rolled over onto her back.

Sherlock followed suit as he propped himself up and settled himself between her legs which automatically parted for him.

One of his hands was gripping her thigh, which was exposed to him when her shorts had ridden up. His other hand was gripping at the back of her neck...His tongue wrestled for control of her mouth, which she eventually surrendered over to him as she moaned into his mouth.

Molly's hands left his hair and found their way to his bare chest, exploring his pale muscular skin…familiarizing herself with it.

Sherlock left her mouth as he kissed and licked his way down to the juncture on her neck that met her shoulder, before latching on.

His hands then slid up her belly, under her camisole, and landed on her bare breasts. He gently needed her two mounds with expertise as he felt her nipples harden under his calloused fingers.

Molly moaned loudly as he suckled at her skin. She gasped loudly as he tugged at her skin hard enough to leave his mark. She felt her toes curl and impulsively dug her heels into the mattress as he worked his magic.

Sherlock's subconscious kicked in over his wave of arousal, and he realized this was progressing increasingly fast. If he didn't turn back now…he wouldn't be able to. It took everything he had, but he managed to pry himself away from her neck and breasts.

"How about some breakfast?" Sherlock asked suddenly breaking apart from her.

Molly cried out at the sudden absence. She was extremely dazed, and heavily aroused, when Sherlock had his sudden outburst about food. She wasn't quite sure she had heard him right. "Sorry what?"

"Food…Molly," He said as he hopped right off the bed and pulled a white undershirt over his head and proceeded to walk out of his room. "I suggest you get your hearing checked out!"

She heard his footsteps bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen to fire up the stove. Molly sighed loudly as she plopped down face first into the fluffy white pillow and cried out at his awful timing.

oOoOo

Molly walked into the kitchen with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. Sherlock's back was to her as he was working up some concoction on the stove.

Bacon and eggs by the smell of it.

She slid up onto one of the stools at the counter behind him and patiently waited for her food to be finished.

"I know what you're thinking Molly…" Sherlock said not turning to face her.

"What was that up there?" Molly asked demanding an answer, "Why did you leave?"

"Because Molly," Sherlock said with a straight face as he propped his elbows up onto the table, "If I kept going, I wouldn't have been able to stop."

Molly looked taken aback as he continued, "You are emotionally compromised at this point in time, and I do not want us engaging in any sexual activity you will wake up regretting one morning."

Molly froze, and realized where he was coming from. "So now what?"

"Toast. Bacon. Eggs over easy." Sherlock said as he slid the plate of food over to her.

"How did you know I like my eggs like this?" Molly asked before rolling her eyes at herself in realization that he had probably somehow deduced it from her.

Sherlock just smirked and gave her a knowing look.

oOoOo

The two had eventually decided that they wanted to get out of the apartment for a couple of hours, and decided to take a walk around the city. Molly wanted to go at night when it was less crowded. She had always appreciated the City when it was snowing. It seemed more majestic this way.

Molly clutched her hot cocoa tightly in her hands as they walked through the streets of London. She could feel the liquids heat warm her hands through her pink mittens.

Sherlock simply stood with his hands in his Belstaff, untouched by the freezing weather surrounding them.

The streets of London were vacant; everyone was curled up on their beds with their blankets, whilst blasting heat from their fireplaces. Not daring to brave the cold winter weather.

That left the streets to Molly and Sherlock as they walked around; occasionally walking past a scavenging homeless person (Sherlock knew all of them by name for some odd reason).

They had light hearted conversation and generally avoided the subject of her dad. They successfully avoided it until Molly herself brought it up.

"I'll probably be heading back tomorrow," Molly said as she took another long gulp of her drink.

Sherlock furrowed his brow and turned to face her in confusion, "Explain."

"Well I just figured you didn't want me hanging around your apartment for the next week."

"Quite on the contrary Miss Hooper, I was delighted to find you on my doorstep last night…even if the circumstances on which you arrived were less than convenient."

Molly bit her lip as she tried to figure out what he was saying; it was frustrating at times to try to put his words into coherent sentences.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "what I mean is that you may stay as long as you wish."

"Really?" Molly asked her eyes going wide.

"I detest repeating myself Molly," Sherlock groaned before she launched herself into his arms. He awkwardly held her in his arms before eventually setting her back down.

"I have a question though," Molly said as she moved a strand of hair out of her face and back behind her ear were it belonged. "…more of a proposal actually."

"Go ahead," Sherlock drawled.

"When I have to go back home, will you come with me?" Molly asked as she stuttered, "I mean you don't have to stay if you don't want to. I just, I just think that if…"

She took a deep breath to regain her composure, she really hated when she shrank down and stuttered in front of him, "What I mean is that. Whatever my dad's test results are…good or bad…I want you to be there."

Sherlock paused…he had never been brought home to meet the parents before. Granted he and Molly weren't exactly in an intimate relationship…but normal friends didn't have sporadic snogging sessions with each other did they?

He still was overall unsure of his feelings for her. He knew he was attracted to her…physically and mentally. She was a sweet girl who had gone through enough obstacles for one lifetime. She also had a fire to her, a spark that allowed her to be independent and take shit from no one.

He always enjoyed her company, and found himself longing for it when he was alone. He confided in her as he would a friend.

Mycroft had always said that friendships lead to caring, and caring was a weakness only found in the losing side. It was odd, he never had a desire to have friends…he still did not wish for them. He was content with his relationship with Molly Hooper.

The young freshman who dreamed of one day becoming a pathologist. She had her whole life ahead of her, and what did he have?

A dream of becoming a consulting detective? A detective with an extensive history of drug abuse? Said drug abuse leading him into the ER twice?

The truth was that they came from two very different worlds…and one had no place in the others. He deduced that this wouldn't be a long term thing. They could get at the most a year? Maybe two? He had too much baggage with him to hold onto any concrete relationship for any longer.

But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it now, while he still could.

"Well…" Molly asked awkwardly, and Sherlock realized he became to diverged in his thoughts to answer her question about being there at the hospital with her father.

Sherlock did a quick head nod before clearing his throat. "Yes. Whatever happens, I will be there for you."

oOoOo

Molly and Sherlock had eventually found themselves standing on the ledge of the London Bridge. They were staring off into the distance, watching as the flakes of snow fell down into the water below them. Molly wished she had a camera for moments like this, moments that seemed small…but are always reflected upon.

"So if we're gonna be together for Christmas this year…does that mean that we're gonna be doing it my way?" Molly asked as her lips crept into a smile.

Sherlock sighed before snickering, "Don't get your hopes up Ms. Hooper."

They both laughed until it eventually died down and they were left standing on the bridge staring off into the night sky.

Not being able to stand the silence that surrounded them, Molly decided to finally bring up the situation they had now found themselves in.

"Sherlock…uh, what are we doing?" Molly asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"We are currently standing on a bridge…a few cables and wooden boards between us and the freezing water below," He answered her with a straight face, "your idea by the way."

"That's not what I meant…" Molly shook her head, "I mean us, Sherlock and Molly, Molly and Sherlock."

Sherlock pursed his lips unsure how to answer, "We are…whatever you wish us to be."

Molly paused as she pondered his request. _What were they? What did she want them to be_? She figured he wasn't the type to put a label on their relationship. She also figured they should wade into the waters instead of jumping straight into the deep end.

"I like you Sherlock, a lot…and I want to be with you," She said as she shrugged her shoulders, "but I don't want you to feel like you're trapped. This is a two way street, and I don't want you doing this if it isn't what you truly want."

"What do you suggest?"

"Take me out to dinner," Molly requested, "let's go on a proper date, and figure it out from there."

"A date?" Sherlock's face scrunched up, "I've never been on a date in my life."

"It's where two people who like each other go out and have fun,"

"Yes I know what a date is!" Sherlock said defensively.

He saw Molly biting her lip to keep from laughing at his outburst, "I guess I will be taking you out on a date, Ms. Hooper."

"Sounds fantastic, Mr. Holmes." Molly laughed as she began to continue walking, but she was stopped when she felt his hand grab onto her arm. She turned and saw him looking at her with what could only be described as sadness.

"I think that it is only fair to warn you…" Sherlock said as he took a breath and looked at his feet, "I am not a good man, Molly. I am crude, insensitive, and a complete and utter arse."

Molly couldn't help but laugh a little bit, even though she knew he was being completely serious.

"Every neuron in my brain is telling me that pursuing you is a bad idea…"

"Thanks," Molly said sarcastically.

"…and yet, I cannot keep myself away. That being said, before you make your choice, I must warn you now…"

Sherlock finally brought his gaze up to meet her in the eye, "…that I will only hurt you in the end."

* * *

**Stay tuned. Next chapter they go on their first date! **


	13. Hit Me With Your Best Shot

**Sorry for the delay everybody. This chapter just did not want to get written, nevertheless i hope you enjoy. I believe that the outcome was quite enjoyable. Molly and Sherlock's first date...**

***clears throat* SHALL WE BEGIN?**

* * *

Molly wanted to hit Sherlock upside the head, he was finally opening up to her…and it was only to criticize himself.

Although she respected him for doing it, she knew that it was a lie. He wasn't a bad person. He had been the only one who had come through for her on several occasions.

When Cooper Henderson had attempted to rape her, Sherlock was the one who arrived in time to save her.

When she was feeling alone after the incident with her dad, Sherlock was the one who offered her a shoulder to cry on.

She understood that he had some skeletons in his closet, things that haunted him that he would not share with her…but she didn't care. She trusted Sherlock with all her body and soul, and she was determined to help him trust himself.

She slipped her hand into his and intertwined their fingers, "I don't care about the future Sherlock…all I want is to focus on here and now."

Sherlock lifted his head up and met her gaze, "There are things you don't know about me-"

"And you will tell me when you're ready to," Molly smiled reassuringly, "I'm not trying to pressure you into anything Sherlock."

"I want to be the man you deserve," he whispered.

"You are, Sherlock…" She told him, "I want you anyway you come."

"What if that's not enough?" He asked her earnestly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." She answered.

"I don't deserve you…"

"How about you let me be the judge of that," She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Sherlock simply smiled and nodded his head and stared at their hands, "So now what?"

"How about you walk us back?" She smiled, "I'm getting cold and could do for a nice warm cup of cocoa."

"Now that's asking for too much," Sherlock joked raising an eyebrow at her.

Molly lightly slapped his shoulder as he led the way back.

oOoOo

Christmas Eve morning…

Sherlock was standing in front of his wall with his lips pursed, and his hands together steepled just under his chin. A web of pictures was strewn together with various lengths of yarn intermingled, creating a web of connections between the people in the photographs.

Molly had taken a cab into town, braving the crowds, to complete some holiday shopping…leaving Sherlock alone with a case. His client was a young teenage girl name Lucy Wilde who was convinced that her stepmother Phillis had killed her father to reap all of his assets.

It appeared that little Lucy was right. Her stepmother was a suspected black widow with at least two dead husbands who died under 'mysterious circumstances'. Apparently when authorities would begin to ask questions, Phillis would put on blubbery face and cry into a handkerchief exclaiming how her present husband was the love of her life and she didn't know how to live without him.

No more than a month later, Phillis would change her surname back to her maiden name and begin to seek out a new prospective husband.

Phillis Scarlett Wilde-Robinson put on a mask of sorrow that Sherlock could see straight through. He knew her type…the type who thought they were invincible, the type who would deny water to a dying man, the type that were haughty and…

*knock knock knock*

Sherlock frowned as he heard the three distinct knocks on his front door. There was only one person who knocked in that particular pattern.

Mycroft.

Sherlock stiffened his back as he turned his back to his mural and stalked over to the front door as he heard another set of knocks.

"This had better be important," Sherlock groaned as he snapped open the door to greet his elder brother.

"Oh don't be like that Sherlock," Mycroft groaned as he cracked his neck, "You're upsetting Mummy, she want's you home."

"Well you can tell her that I apologize for my absence, but I have plans that are more important and more pressing." Sherlock groaned.

"Yes plans with Molly Hooper." Mycroft sighed as Sherlock's eyes widened, "oh don't give me that look, I've known that your acquaintance with her is no longer platonic."

"What do you want, Mycroft?" Sherlock demanded. "And for your information…I'm on a case!"

"I told you before Sherlock…enough with the heroic escapades. You are not Hercule Poirot. Mummy is paying a pretty penny to send you to school and you will be using your time to focus on your academia." Mycroft hissed, "Do I make myself clear?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "University is out of session for another two weeks dearest Mycroft. What I do in my spare time is my business. I am already twisting my own arm attending University for Mother's sake. I will graduate in a timely fashion…but until then I will abide my time by solving whatever cases are thrown at me. Be it murderers, rapists…or black widows." Sherlock turned his back and went back to his mural surrounding Phillis Robinson.

"This is wholly unnecessary Sherlock, MI6 has its best agents tailing her and investigating her alibi." Mycroft complained as he lifted his umbrella and pointed it at the picture of Phillis, "It is only a matter of time before her late husband's death is pinned on her."

"Not quickly enough," Sherlock laughed smugly as he pointed to the picture of the teenage girl, "Just ask little Lucy."

Mycroft rolled his eyes as he made his exit from Sherlock's flat. Sherlock had begun to talk to himself and make gestures with his hands as if he were recreating a scene in his mind palace.

Mycroft wouldn't waste his time trying to crack through Sherlock's ego. When Sherlock had his mind set on something, nothing could break through. Mycroft just huffed as he walked back out to his private car. He had a party to prepare for.

The Queen was hosting a party at Buckingham Palace and he was expected to attend.

oOoOo

"What do you mean solve a crime?" Molly asked as she carried her bags inside as Sherlock followed closely on her tail.

"I mean 'investigate a theory in hopes that it leads us to the truth about what happened to Mr. Montgomery Wilde'." Sherlock exclaimed as he led her over to his mural. "Mr. Wilde was stricken with the flu ten days ago and his health began to rapidly deteriorate-"

"I remember hearing about it on the news…isn't the wife a suspect?"

Sherlock practically beamed with excitement as he began spitting off his theories to her…she had fallen right in his trap. "Number one suspect actually, but there isn't enough evidence to tie her to the death. There is a 90% chance she is going to get away with yet another murder and her pockets full of money…he also had a hunch that Phillis had tampered with her late husbands will. That would most likely be the key piece of evidence they needed.

"Sherlock, I don't know if this is really my area," Molly told him, "I don't think I'll be any good at this."

"Oh come now Molly, it'll be fun!" Sherlock grinned, "Ms. Robinson's home is no more than a couple hours away…we could make it there, gather enough evidence to incriminate her, and be back home in time for dinner."

"Do I need a magnifying glass? Or a deerstalker?" Molly asked. Sherlock only gave her a puzzled look as he pulled his own pocket magnifying glass out of his Belstaff.

"You know, when I said take me on a date...this wasn't quite what I had in mind." Molly frowned as he tied his scarf around his neck and grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the house behind him muttering something about 'the game being on'.

oOoOo

Molly could feel her heart racing as she and Sherlock snuck around Phillis' house. The newly widowed woman was out on some errands and Sherlock saw it as the perfect time to do some recon on the inside.

They climbed a latter on the backside of the house and stealthy slid through a second story window. Molly was sure this was illegal on many accounts, but at the moment she didn't care. Her heart was pounding through her chest so hard that it was the only thing she heard.

Sherlock motioned for them to split up, so Molly took to the study and Sherlock the bedroom.

"You never know what you might find in a woman's underwear drawer." He told her haughtily as he began rifling through Phillis panties.

Molly rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head. Sherlock stiffened his back and rubbed his head before looking to Molly for an explanation. "Was that really necessary? I believe you've bruised my cranium."

"I think you're thick head absorbed most of the blunt impact," She whispered as she went to investigate the study.

"Not good?" He asked in regards to his blunt comment earlier.

Molly shook her head sarcastically, "Not really."

"Apologies…now get back to work!" He hissed silently. Molly put her hands up in mock surrender and began to strut off towards the study. She began to rifle through the cabinets hoping to find something suspicious. She found a file labeled Montgomery Wilde…jackpot. Molly pulled it out of the filing cabinet to look through the contents but froze when she heard the front door open.

Uh oh, sounded like Phillis was back early.

Molly quickly hid underneath the studies desk with the file on her lap. She quietly opened the file and found two copies of Montgomery Wilde's will. Identical with the only exception being that the original had only 10% of his belongings going to Phillis, whereas the second gave everything.

Phillis had her late husband's signature professionally forged and ended his life early to make a few extra pounds. Oh this bitch was sly…

Molly heard the door to the study opened and before she knew what she was doing she hopped up from her hiding spot to confront the Black Widow.

"What the fuck?" Phillis cursed as she saw Molly bolt up from her hiding spot clutching the file in her hands. "Bloody hell."

"Go ahead Ms. Wilde, call the cops…" Molly threatened, "But the first thing they do when they show up here is going to arrest you for forgery and ultimately murder."

Phillis went bright red and Molly looked on wearily as Phillis picked up a letter opener in her hand and began to stalk towards her. "You really shouldn't have come here, little girl."

Molly quickly glanced around the room for something to throw. She probably should have thought this through a little bit better.

Molly's fight or flight reflexes kicked in as Phillis drew nearer. Molly quickly took note of her surroundings for something to defend herself with. She landed on the tall stack of papers on the desk.

Molly quickly reached for the stack of papers and haphazardly threw them off of the desk sending them flying in every direction in the small room.

Phillis recoiled and brought her hands to her face instinctively as the papers crowded her personal space, and Molly saw her opportune moment. She grabbed the heavy paper weight off of the desk and aimed at Phillis' head with all her might.

This seemed to work in the movies and Molly prayed that it would work now.

Unbeknownst to Sherlock, the walls of Phillis bedroom were heavily soundproofed…so he remained unaware when her front door opened. But when he felt the vibrations of a body thumping to the floor…he knew that meant trouble.

He practically broke the door off its hinges when he ran into the study and saw Molly standing over an unconscious Phillis with a manila folder in one hand and a spherical piece of metal in the other (a paperweight judging by the looks of it).

"Nice of you to join me, Sherlock." Molly panted as she breathed heavily.

Sherlock stared at Molly in disbelief as she smiled and panted, hyped up on adrenaline. It was extremely arousing to see her like that, and all Sherlock knew was that he wanted to take Molly and fuck her on that desk right then and there.

oOoOo

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but that was the most fun I've ever had." Molly laughed, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins.

Sherlock listened as she went on reenacting her fight with Phillis. The woman who had about 10 years on Molly.

The police had arrived quickly and Molly showed them the evidence of Mr. Wilde's original will. Sherlock had also found a small bottle of Arsenic in her panty drawer. Phillis had poisoned him in small enough doses that the arsenic wouldn't show up on his autopsy report.

The detective inspector that had arrived at the scene had previous dealings with Sherlock and so he and Molly got off with a warning. Never break and enter into a person's home again. Sherlock didn't seem too worried as he had been threatened by that same rule seven times previously.

Molly smiled as she went to kick her shoes off and change into her comfy flannel pajamas she had bought. She didn't want to keep borrowing Sherlock's close so she had buckled down and got a couple outfits for her weeklong stay with him.

Sherlock glanced at his watch and discovered that it was a few minutes after Midnight. Phillis Robinson was in custody, Molly had done her part beautifully, and the night could not have ended more perfectly. It was officially Christmas morning and Sherlock was going to give Molly her gift. She had put one foot through the door before she felt him grabbing at her wrist and lightly tugging her back to him.

Molly blushed as Sherlock leaned forward until their foreheads met. "Merry Christmas, Molly Hooper…"

Molly smiled as he leaned the rest of the way forward and gently brushed his lips against hers. Molly lost herself for a moment, as she often did when he kissed her. It was as if the world froze on its axis and all that remained was him and her.

* * *

**Hope y'all enjoyed, I had fun writing it. I love Badass Molly and i couldn't resist throwing her in there. Let me know what you think! Leave a review! **

**P.S. things are gonna start spicing up real soon ;)**


	14. All of Me

**Hello everyone! I regret to inform you that updates will be a little bit slower the next few weeks. School took a hard turn for me after spring break ended (I am on homework overload!). And as much as I love all of you…school comes first. I still hope to post a new chapter every week, and hopefully once the semester is over I'll be able to update more frequently.**

**Warning: Sexual content ahead! Read at own risk!**

**That being said, I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Sherlock was treading the thin line between rough and gentle as he dragged Molly into his flat, never breaking contact with her. His hands began to tug at the knitted pink scarf around her neck as she gripped the lapels of his coat.

She moaned as she was pushed up against the wall, his hands snaking down her sides to her hips. His lips moved everywhere; from her mouth to her neck to the sensitive patch behind her ear.

She wanted all of him, in every way he came. Everything he had to offer she wanted, only him…it would only ever be Sherlock.

It was times like this that words were not needed. Molly looking at him with a fiery desire in her eyes as she bit her lower lip subconsciously. She might be unaware the effect it had on him, but every time that she nibbled on that same spot on her lip it drove him over the edge. She wanted him…as much as he wanted her.

He still needed to ask, "Are you sure?"

Molly paused just a moment to stare at her shoes before turning her gaze back up to Sherlock and giving him a reassuring nod.

He wasted no time bending down and hooking an arm behind her knees, lifting her up into his arms bridal style. It was tricky to maneuver them up the narrow staircases, but the great Sherlock Holmes managed quite well. Soon they were in his room where he laid her down on the covers of his bed.

He took great care as he slowly began to remove her clothes; each article of clothing he removed was like an unveiling, every patch of skin to be touched and caressed. He took his time with her, giving his best efforts to get her through this. He was putting her thoughts above his own…something he had never done before.

Molly fought the urge to cover herself, she felt incredibly exposed and vulnerable. Once again, the great Sherlock Holmes seemed to read her mind as he gently engulfed her wrists and moved them back to her sides. Time was melding together, and even though he was taking his time…everything was flying by for her. Before she could wrap her head around it they were both completely naked for each other.

She glanced down his body, eyes popping as she saw his cock hard and ready for her. She simply grew hungrier for him as his hands moved down her chest and spanned across her belly.

Molly gasped and bucked up when she felt his fingers make contact with her wet folds, a single finger sliding deep within her as his free hand kneaded her breasts.

He pulled back for a brief moment to pull an aluminum packet out of his bedside table. He quickly ripped the condom open and slid it onto his cock. Sherlock leaned back down and placed his hands on Molly's knees, slowly pushing them farther apart…baring her to him.

Molly bit her lip to conceal a hiss as she felt him begin to slowly inch his way past her barrier, steadily sheathing himself fully into her…becoming one with her.

It was a slight sting that was soon replaced with a seed of pleasure. He paused to give her time to adjust to the foreign feeling of having him engulf her from the inside out. Her body worked out of sync with her mind as she rotated her pelvis against him and slowly hiked her leg up to grant him deeper access.

Very shortly, the pleasure outweighed the pain. The way he moved in her caused her feelings she had never experienced before. Feelings of euphoria, ecstasy, and elation.

She felt her desire begin to rise at an alarming rate as he sped his wonderful movements up. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel him move from his elbows onto his hands, giving him a better range of motion as their passion reached a whole new level.

It was rising…like a flashflood.

Intense shockwaves went off without warning as Sherlock thrust into her a final time. She was pushed over the edge and all she could see was white light that engulfed her before she slowly fell back down to earth.

She panted as her grip loosened on his arms. She opened her eyes and saw that the red indentations her fingers made begin to fade from his skin. He slowly lowered himself back down and nestled his head between her breasts as he fought to catch his breath.

Molly slicked her hand up his shoulders and entwined her fingers into his slightly damp curls, massaging his head as they lie together.

oOoOo

"Can we do that again?"

Molly grinned like a Cheshire cat as she rolled over onto her elbows and stared at Sherlock who was lying with his head propped up under one arm while the other was resting on the sheet that covered his stomach.

Sherlock winced as his eyes fluttered open. The sun was out…it was still night fall when he had last rolled off of her. Judging by the brightness of the sun, it was about 7:30 in the morning. Very little sleep had been gotten between the two of them…the bed was used for less conventional ways.

Sherlock chuckled as he brought his free hand forward to rub his eyes before turning his gaze towards her. "Was three times not enough for you?"

Molly blushed as she recalled the night they had. She shivered as she remembered how his hands would roam her body as he made sweet love to her, as if memorizing every curve and every inch of her body. She wouldn't trade it for the world.

She inched forward and started to play with the small ginger hairs on his chest. He took a deep breath in comfort as her fingers grazed his chest. It was incredibly relaxing and if she kept it up much longer he would fall back asleep.

"I was actually referring to a case, but…" She told him as she rolled onto her side with her knuckles propping up her head. She paused and waited for him to open his eyes. He just offered her a small grin as he enjoyed the little movements her fingers made. She shrugged her shoulders and began drumming her fingers on his chest, "…I wouldn't be totally opposed to what you had in mind."

Sherlock's eyes flew open at her confession. His heart started racing and he felt blood swell down south at the suggestion. He turned his head to face her and mirrored her position, no longer drowsy or on the edge of sleep. Nope he and his cock were both all-hands-on-deck. Ready for duty.

"You know I had originally intended to take you out for Christmas," Sherlock admitted as he gently climbed on top of her and pushed her shoulders into the mattress, "Get some dinner, go iceskating, or something cliché that ordinary people do…but now that I have you here, naked in my bed…I think that I'm going to keep you this way Ms. Hooper."

"Good plan, Mr. Holmes." Molly nodded as she slid her hands into his wonderfully messy curls.

oOoOo

Molly was sitting cross-legged on Sherlock's leather couch, facing and watching him as he sorted through emails on his laptop. Most likely rifling through the dozen emails he got about people wanting to hire him as a private investigator.

He had his hands steepled under his chin, his eyes were narrowed at the screen…one of the emails must have piped his interest. He hadn't clicked the delete button yet.

She sighed contently as her eyes trailed down his body. He was only wearing a pair of plaid flannel pants and a red dressing gown that had slid open, baring his chest to her…that wonderfully sculpted pale chest…

Molly mentally slapped herself; she was not going to turn into a randy sex-crazed hussy! She would not jump Sherlock Holmes every time he pursed his lips, or spoke in his low baritone voice, or pulled that half-lip smirk…hell, everything about the man aroused her.

She let out a sigh as she leaned back against the arm of the couch and stretched her hands out. She had pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and a green tank top when they had finished their shower.

Despite Sherlock claiming that he intended to keep her naked the entire day, she quickly learned that it was too cold for that. They were in the middle of one of London's worst weather storms, and even with indoor heating Molly needed a layer or two of clothing.

She rubbed her lower stomach absentmindedly. She had a low-grade ache from the past night's activities, nothing a couple Tylenol couldn't cure. She loved every moment shared between them, and she gladly accepted the pain as a token of what had transpired between them.

"There is a bottle of low-grade painkillers in the medicine cabinet," Sherlock said not breaking his gaze from his laptop, "Upstairs bathroom, top shelf, left side."

He then turned to her and gave her a warning look, "Do _NOT_ touch the eyeballs."

Molly raised her hands in mock surrender, "Do I even want to know?"

"Experiment." He answered simply as he returned his gaze to the computer, "I wish to find the probability of gaining retinal blindness from various environmental exposures."

Molly shrugged her shoulders in interest as she slowly rose to her feet and climbed back up the stairs.

She took the time to check her mobile for any missed calls or texts. She had a single text from her brother Teddy. She had kept in touch with him regularly since they parted ways at the hospital. It felt weird to be parted from him today. Hopefully she would see him soon.

It felt like ages ago that they had checked their dad into the hospital, pretty soon she would have to go back. She didn't want to put it off any longer; as much as she loved spending her time with Sherlock…it was time to head back to reality.

The night was spent curled up in each other's arms. They would be headed out first thing in the morning, and Molly just wanted the physical comfort and closeness. The comfort she craved from Sherlock. To the world Sherlock was cold and emotionless, but to her he was different.

oOoOo

Sherlock paid the cabbie as he pulled up to the visitor's side of the hospital. Molly took a deep breath as she paused before walking through the front doors.

He didn't say anything but he lifted his hand hesitantly at first; it landed on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. It was odd; at times he felt completely at ease with Molly…but times like this, he struggled to understand which actions to take. Which ways to offer her comfort.

His whole life he had scoffed at the idea of attachments and sentiment, but with her everything was backwards. The thought both frightened and exhilarated him.

She slowly raised her hand to his, which was gently resting on her shoulder. She just stood frozen on the spot, her back to him as she finally spoke up for the first time in what felt like ages. "Thank you again for coming with me…I don't think I could've done this alone."

"Whatever you need, I will be by your side." He answered firmly as he moved his hand down to the small of her back and gave her a gently push through the doors.

The receptionist had politely informed him that her father had been moved to the orthopedic wing, for the tenure of his testing.

Molly took the lead with Sherlock on her heels as he surveyed the building and the patients who filled it, deducing each patient along the way and deducing what had landed them in the hospital. _Lung cancer…tattoo removal…sexually transmitted disease (gonorrhea? Herpes? Syphilis…further evidence needed)._

No words were spoken as they rode the elevator all the way to the third floor. He figured that Molly was mentally preparing herself…

Molly froze dead in her tracks when she met eyes with the one person she had least expected to see. She felt her temper rise immediately and began to clench her fists so hard the knuckles went white.

The woman in question simply put down the magazine she had been reading and starting striding over to Molly like she owned the place.

"Molly dear," She said in an uncomfortably sweet tone, "you look well."

It took Sherlock 2.3 seconds to deduce who the woman in the black suit was. Same light brown hair (only greying), same thin pink lips, same chocolate brown eyes, the obvious past acquaintance with Molly…the pieces fit together perfectly.

He cleared his throat and tucked his hands into his pockets, "Mrs. Hooper I presume."

* * *

**Yes, Molly Hooper's estranged mother is back in the picture (I feel like this is slowly turning into a soap opera)…Let me know what you think! Leave a review, make my day!**

**P.S. I hope that the sex scenes weren't too cheesy or overly graphic, I've just recently started writing smut…and I've never had the guts to post it. Let me know if I did an OK job!**


	15. Closing Time

**Hello Hello my lovely readers! I am currently posting this at 2:30 in the morning...I just couldn't wait any longer. Will I regret it in the morning? Most likely. **

**Anywho, Last chapter ended with Molly's mother coming back into the picture, remember that she has been estranged from the family for three years and Molly has had no contact with her. **

**I'm just going to let you read instead of rambling on and on and on...**

* * *

"_Mrs. Hooper I presume?" _

Elizabeth Hooper narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as Sherlock spoke to her, "That's right, young man…and you are?"

Molly rolled her eyes as her mother looked at Sherlock like he was dirt you accidently dragged into the house. Molly took deep breaths, it was the only way she was going to get through this day…she just wanted to see her dad. Was that too much to ask?

Better yet, she wanted everything back to normal…no hospitals, no estranged parents, and no awkward reunions.

"This is Sherlock Holmes," Molly bit out as she motioned to Sherlock who was standing behind her with a straight face, his hands burrowed in his coat pockets, "he's my…"

"Boyfriend." Sherlock answered for her.

Molly about whipped around, she must not have heard him right. Just a few days ago they were going on about how they weren't going to put a label on their relationship.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am," Sherlock smiled as he extended his hand.

Molly narrowed her eyes cautiously and surveyed the scene before her. Sherlock had come off way too friendly.

He was actually…_smiling._

Molly was utterly confused as Sherlock began to strike up an ordinary conversation with her mother, telling her about him and Molly. It made her uncomfortable…Sherlock was supposed to be socially awkward. But when she saw Sherlock get teary eyed as he begun to talk about her dad…she figured out what he was doing.

_Oh he's good…_Molly thought to herself as she realized Sherlock was putting up a front to deceive her mother.

"Well Mr. Holmes, I appreciate you escorting my daughter here…but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is a family matter after all."

A wave of fury hit Molly as her head snapped up, "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Elizabeth gasped and put a hand to her chest in shock at her daughter's vulgar language, "Molly Renee Hooper!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Molly hissed as she stomped her foot down.

"I am your mother…and it would do you well to remember that!" Elizabeth said sternly as she planted her hands on her hips.

"Oh no, no, no no…"Molly just shook her head with fire in her eyes, "You gave up that right, when you gave up on _this _family."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to explain herself but Molly beat her to it, "I'm sorry that you had to bury a child…Olivia was my sister, and I miss her every goddamn day…but she's gone. She's gone and she's not coming back. But I am still here, Teddy and I are still here…and you just up and left…I will never forgive you for that. I will never forgive you for what you did to my dad."

Molly closed her eyes and took one final breath, "I am the one who found him, I am the one who called the medics…I am the one calling the shots here. If you don't like it, I believe you know where the exit is…either way, Sherlock stays!"

Sherlock just pursed his lips as he stood back awkwardly. By God though, Molly was hot when she was feisty.

oOoOo

"Do you wish for me to leave?" Sherlock asked Molly as they stood by the coffee maker.

It had been about an hour since the confrontation between mother and daughter. Elizabeth Hooper had stepped outside for a cigarette break 45 minutes ago and had yet to return. Molly's father was in the middle of a MRI scanning, and wasn't due to be finished for another two hours…it was going to be a long wait.

Molly snorted lightly, "Are you kidding me? You're the only sane person here right now. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here." She paused and turned to him, "Why, do you want to leave?"

Sherlock shook his head, "I told you that I would be here for you, and I intend to do just that. But, I do not wish to overstay my welcome."

"Sherlock…you don't have to stay here." Molly said quietly, "If you'd rather be off saving the world from criminal masterminds…don't let me stop you."

"No, don't be ridiculous…I've been checking my emails. Nothing above a 4." He paused, "I just don't do well with these situations."

Molly furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

"Bedside manner, sentiment, human emotion in general…take your pick."

"Sherlock…I don't do well with these situations either." Molly sighed and reached out to lace their fingers together.

"You don't?" Sherlock asked perplexed.

"My dad's been in the hospital for the past week…nothing could have prepared me for that."

Sherlock's lip twitched up, a small hint of a smile, as he stared at their hands.

"Sooo," Molly drew out, "You called me your girlfriend."

"I said no such thing…if I recall correctly (which I always do); I said that I was your boyfriend." He corrected.

"Doesn't matter, you labeled us." She laughed.

"Yes, I suppose I did…" Sherlock smirked as he took a sip from the Styrofoam cup, "You are turning me into a sentimental human being, Molly Hooper."

oOoOo

Sherlock slipped out of the hospital quietly. When Molly's brother Ted arrived, Sherlock gave them a moment to catch up. He took the time to do a little catching up of his own.

He walked the perimeter of the hospital grounds, until he found Molly's mother. She was sitting on a park bench, pink from the cold. She had a cigarette in her hand…a small pile of used cigarettes on the ground at her feet.

"You felt leaving was your only option…" Sherlock said as he walked up to Elizabeth who was outside smoking a cigarette.

"Beg your pardon?" Elizabeth asked as she took a drag and ran a hand through her hair.

"Molly told me the basics of what had happened with your eldest daughter Olivia"

Elizabeth snuffed her cigarette butt into the disposal tray and turned to Sherlock, "What of it?"

"Seeing your deceased daughter on a cold slab of metal in a dark and dreary morgue…you developed a rare form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Parent's aren't supposed to be the ones who bury their children, but you did…and it haunted you every waking moment…to the point where you had to leave everything behind."

Elizabeth slowly leaned back into the bench, "Bloody hell, how do you know that?"

She had seen a private psychiatrist, her condition was confidential. Not a soul knew about it other than her and Dr. Flynn.

"When I was introducing myself, I was silently deducing you." Sherlock explained as he pulled out his own pack of cigarettes. "In your purse you have a prescription for olanzapine…three years old. That drug is commonly used as an antidepressant. Death of a child would definitely constitute as a reason to fall into depression. But your condition went beyond that. You have permanent bags under your eyes, lack of sleep due to nightmares I reckon."

Sherlock took a drag of his cigarette before adding, "Also there's the slight tan line of a wedding band on your left hand…"

Elizabeth paused to observe her slightly wrinkled hand as Sherlock continued, "You continued to wear your wedding ring all these years. That leads me to believe that it was not your initial choice to 'abandon' the family, there was no Frenchman named Philippe…something backed you into a corner. I want to know what it was."

"You know all that just by looking at me?" Elizabeth asked as she looked up at Sherlock.

He merely shrugged, "I don't just look at the world…I look _through_ it. Ordinary people _see_, I _observe_."

"I love my children, Sherlock. With every fiber in my body…Molly, Theodore, and Olivia," She paused at her eldest child's name, "and you are absolutely right…something inside me did snap when I had to ID her body. Suddenly I started seeing her everywhere. In my home, at my work…I couldn't escape her."

"I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping, it drove me to the breaking point…I was ready to take my own life just to make it stop...but I wouldn't even think about subjecting my family to that."

He nodded, in a twisted way it made sense. Elizabeth was suicidal…at least she used to be. If she had taken her life within a year of Olivia's murder, it would have been indefinitely worse than the situation at hand now.

She had felt backed into a corner; she couldn't stay…so her only choice was to leave. Perhaps she was now attempting to mend old wounds between her and her estranged family. Either way, he felt obligated to listen to her.

Sherlock nodded, "You felt that by running away, it would make them hate you."

She nodded, "I'd rather have my family despise me than mourn me."

Sherlock took a final drag of his cigarette and tossed it into the snowbank.

"Will you tell them?" She asked as Sherlock turned to walk away.

Sherlock kept his back to her and shook his head, "it is not my place to."

"I don't even know where to begin…Molly wouldn't understand." Elizabeth muttered as she toyed with her gloves.

"You think Molly is weak," Sherlock said as he began to walk back into the hospital, "but you're wrong. She is one of the strongest and bravest individuals that I have ever known."

oOoOo

Sherlock was sitting next to Molly on the small bench of the waiting room. They had only been here for two hours, but it felt like the equivalent of two weeks. I suppose that was why they called it a 'waiting room'.

Molly was curled up into his side, his hand around her shoulders, as his fingers stroked little circles through the sleeve of her shirt.

Elizabeth Hooper sat across from them, reading a magazine. Although, since she hadn't flipped the page in over five minutes…it was most likely a ruse. She wanted to look occupied and calm.

All four of them jerked their heads up when the hospital doors leading from radiology snapped open. A male doctor was walking out with a clipboard in his hand as he surveyed the charts. He proceeded to look up at the minimal crowd of people occupying the waiting room.

"Family of Aaron Paul Hooper?" He asked in a cockney accent.

Molly hopped up first and spoke up, "That's us."

"Mr. Hooper has just been wheeled into his room; results from his CT scan have come back…"

"What do they say?" Teddy spoke up quickly.

The doctor removed his glasses and placed them on the collar of his shirt. He took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead, "Why don't you come with me, Mr. Hooper should hear this."

The doctor didn't need to say it; his emotions were a dead giveaway. Whatever the tests had revealed…it wasn't good.

* * *

**There we have it. Next chapter will probably have a mini-time jump. I plan to wrap this story up in around 30 chapters...I want to get cracking on the sequel (which I actually wrote first). Funny how things turn out.**

**P.S. I've been making Molly go through so much shit, that i wanted to give her something good. So at the last minuted, I decided to reconcile her with her mother (which won't be shown til the next chapter).**

**reading+reviewing= A very happy Blaire :)**


	16. Mad World

**...I'm back. I have had an extremely busy week, Game of Thrones season premiere, Desolation of Smaug coming out, latest book from my favorite series was released...and finals are coming up. 50 pages worth of papers looming over my head, and yet here I am posting a new chapter...because I love all of you soo much (And no one forget it!)**

**Not much Sherlolly this chapter :(, but lots more to come I promise! **

**_Italics_=Flashbacks**

* * *

Molly sighed as she adjusted the strap of her dufflebag on her shoulder to keep the heavy bag from sinking to her elbow. She fished her lanyard out of her pocket and shifted through her set of keys to find the right one. When she found the designated silver one, she slid it into the lock and turned it til she heard the telltale 'click' and turned the knob.

As she walked into her dormitory room she remarked on how foreign it felt to her. She had been gone for only four weeks, and yet she felt like it had been a lifetime since her father and brother had come to pick her up.

A few weeks had felt like a few years. So much had happened; she still had trouble processing all of it. Her father…Sherlock…her mother….her FATHER.

She was still waiting for the shock of her father's diagnosis to hit her. She should be more worried about it than she currently was…but no matter how hard she tried, her brain would not process the severity of it.

oOoOo

"_Why don't you come with me? Mr. Hooper should hear this."_

_Molly could literally hear a pin drop to the floor as time seemed to slow down. She looked to her right and saw her mother take a deep breath and run a hand through her slightly greying hair. She looked to her left and saw her younger brother Teddy's lip begin to tremble as if waterworks were about to spring from his eyes. She looked down and saw that Sherlock's hand was ghosting down her wrist as he took hold and laced his fingers with hers._

_They all had the same thought that she had. Whatever news that Dr. Tennant held about her father…it wasn't good. _

_Elizabeth led the way with Teddy by her side. Her arm was wrapped around him comfortingly…apparently she had made amends with her only son. _

_Sherlock turned Molly around so that she was facing him. He leaned in and she shivered as his cheek brushed hers. He whispered into her ear, "I shall wait here. Be with your family." _

_Molly nodded as Sherlock pressed a lingering kiss on her cheek and turned her back around and gave her a gentle push so she could catch up with her mother and brother. _

_She looked back to see the double doors close, separating her from Sherlock…and making her feel alone in the world._

oOoOo

Molly was lying flat on her bed, staring at the ceiling above her. Her hands were folded across her chest and her feet crossed at the ankles. She glanced over at her alarm clock, the red numbers read 5:57.

Nina would be home any minute…and Molly was glad.

As much as she relied on Sherlock as an emotional crutch…what she really needed right now was her best friend. She hadn't realized she missed Nina until she arrived back in their empty dorm room.

She glanced to the right and chuckled lightly. Nina's bed was still unmade. Her duvet hanging half off the edge of the bed and her sheets wrinkled profusely. Typical Nina. The girl was just shy of being a prodigy when it came to her studies, but she could not keep her side of the room clean to save her life.

On cue she heard a rustling by the door and heard someone cursing on the other side, as if they put the wrong key into the lock and now had it jammed in there.

Molly laughed lightly as she heard her friend struggle, she was tempted to get off the bed and just open the door for her…by Molly decided to let Nina fight the door, she could kick it down if need be.

There was finally a triumphant 'aha', on the other side of the door as it creaked open. Nina smiled brightly as she saw Molly for the first time in a month.

"How was your break?" Nina asked as she lugged her large suitcase in through the doorway, cursing as it caught on the frame. "Goddamn blasted piece of shit!"

Molly sighed and linked her hands behind her head not moving her gaze from that spot on the ceiling… "Well my dad is dying, my estranged mother has come back into my life, and I lost my virginity to Sherlock Holmes…how was yours?"

Nina left her suitcase in the doorway and pretty much summed up everything that was going through Molly's head, "Fucking hell."

oOoOo

"_Elizabeth!" Molly heard her father cry out in complete surprise, "What in heaven's name are you doing here?"_

"_I am apparently still listed as your emergency contact." Her mother said nervously as she dropped her purse into the spare chair in the corner of the room. "I also came to apologize, I understand that you have no reason to keep me in your life…but I'll stick by your side if you'll still have me?" _

"_Perhaps we should talk about this later?" Molly said as she crossed her arms and motioned towards Dr. Tennant who had pulled her father's charts out. It was several images of a brain scan. _

_Aaron Hooper nodded, "Yes of course Molly." _

"_Thank you," She said with slight edge in her voice. If she had her way, she would kick her mother out of here in a heartbeat. _

_Dr. Tennant wasted no time and immediately began to pin up the scans of Mr. Hooper's brain. There were five of them in total, each showing the brain at a different angle. All five black and white photos had a shadow-like blob at the center._

_Molly didn't need to be a Doctor to recognize what that was…tumor._

_She barely heard the Doctor as he regretfully informed the Hooper's that Aaron had an inoperable tumor located at the base of his temporal lobe. _

_The tumor had planted itself around his medulla and was resting against the bottom of his brainstem. Surgery was impossible; there was no way to remove the tumor without severing the brainstem. Even with radiation treatments, it would only have bought him a few extra months. _

_Twelve months. That was all that Aaron Hooper had left._

_A year to live._

oOoOo

Nina had moved over to sit next to Molly on her bed as her friend brought her up to speed on the situation. Nina grasped onto Molly's hand comfortingly.

The funny thing was Molly didn't even need comforting…she was still waiting for the news to sink in. She just felt empty right now. She hadn't cried yet…she didn't know if she was going to.

What hurt the most was the fact that she was so far away from her father. She fretted that she was going to get a call one day that her father was dead, and that she was too busy to realize that it had happened.

She considered taking the semester off to take care of errands back at home…but her mother and father would have none of that.

She was thankful that she had begun to mend bridges with her mother…thanks to a certain curly haired man.

oOoOo

"_I understand why you did it," Molly bit out as she turned around and faced her mother, "I do. Honestly."_

_At Sherlock's urging, Molly had let her mother explain herself and why she felt it necessary to leave her family behind. Some extreme form of soul-searching. _

"_And I forgive you…" Molly whispered, "But I will never forget."_

_Elizabeth nodded as her daughter laid out her terms. "I will accept the fact that you are coming back to this family. It will take me a while to adjust, but I am willing to try."_

"_Thank you, Molly."_

"_Just know this," Molly warned, "If you even think about taking off again…it's done. I rarely give second chances, let alone thirds."_

_Elizabeth nodded, "You have no idea how much this means to me. You have no idea how proud I am of you, and who you've become."_

_Molly shrugged and waved off the compliment, not out of resentment but selflessness. _

"_So tell me about this boy of yours…" her mother said changing the subject as she looked over at Sherlock who was currently deeply invested in the home and garden magazine he was reading. _

oOoOo

"Can I just say you are the most unlucky person that I have ever met in my entire life?" Nina sighed as she unzipped her suitcase. First there was the roommate from hell, and then there was the sadistic Cooper Henderson, then this shit with her family.

Sherlock Holmes was a completely different can of worms. A story for another time, he was the one thing keeping her grounded right now.

"So how did Sherlock fit into this whole situation?" Nina asked as she waved her hands around before she began to unload her clothes from her now opened suitcase.

"I was just in a bad place, I didn't want to be alone…and I guess he was the first and only person that came to mind."

"Gee thanks," Nina said sarcastically.

"Well it's not like I have the money to hop on a plane across the Atlantic!" Molly defended herself, "But anyways, I found myself at his flat…and I guess one thing led to another…"

The room immediately went quiet and the sound of Nina dropping her laundry echoed throughout the room. She quietly walked to her bed and sat down with her hands resting neatly on her knees.

Nina continued to look at Molly with her eyes wide open and never blinking. It didn't help that she was wearing her thick rimmed glasses which made her green eyes look twice the size that they actually were…it unnerved Molly a little bit to be honest.

Molly finally broke the silence by bursting out, "We're having quite a lot of sex."

It was true. Her first time had been just over two weeks ago and she already felt like a pro. Oh the things that man could do. She felt a stir deep within her just from thinking about it.

Nina finally closed her eyes and threw her hand up to cut Molly off. Molly stared at Nina's opened hand as she slowly clenched most of her fingers together so that she was holding her index finger up. Mentally telling Molly to 'hold that thought'.

Nina slowly stood up and turned her hand so that her finger was pointing at Molly, "Wait right there."

Molly looked taken back as Nina basically threw herself from her bed and began shuffling through her still packed bags. Nina clicked her tongue and said some incoherent things, most likely to herself, as she rummaged through her black suitcase.

"Ah-ha!" She said triumphantly as she pulled a blue box out and ran from the room excitedly.

Molly sighed as she heard the door slam shut. She patiently waited for her friend to return, twiddling her thumbs and bouncing her leg on the floor. A few minutes later the door reopened and Nina waltzed in with a blown up bag of popped popcorn.

Nina plopped herself back down on her bed parallel to Molly. She hiked her legs up and crossed them so that the bag of popcorn rested neatly in the space between her knees. Nina grabbed a few of the top kernels from the bag and brought them to her mouth,

"Tell me everything," She said as she tossed the snack into her mouth, "I want details. I want juicy details…no holds barred!"

* * *

**Let me know what you think. I don't want Molly to be one of those people whose life revolves around their 'significant other'. I also don't want everyone all depressed about Mr. Hooper. They all cope in different ways, Molly included (Sherlock just might be one of those coping techniques *hint*hint).**

**Be a lifesaver and leave a review, they make my day so much brighter!**


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